Justice Mishra’s appointment as Punjab & Haryana HC chief delayed; AAP govt yet to respond

Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra's appointment as chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court faces a delay, as the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government has yet to provide its response to the Supreme Court collegium's recommendation, more than two weeks after it was forwarded to the state. The Union law ministry sent the recommendation to the Punjab government for its comments, but the state has not yet responded.

Sources suggest the Bhagwant Mann government is still gathering relevant inputs and will share its views with the Centre once completed. The timing of this delay is significant, as it intersects with a potentially sensitive political dynamic, with Punjab governed by the Aam Aadmi Party and the Union government led by the BJP. The collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, had recommended Justice Mishra's appointment along with three other full-time chiefs for the Bombay, Calcutta, and Patna high courts on August 6.

However, former Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal questioned the elevation, alleging that it bypassed seniority and raised concerns about the integrity of the courts. Kejriwal's post questioned whether judges should be elevated out of turn, bypassing seniority, and emphasized the importance of the courts' independence for democracy.