{
  "id": 5959488,
  "title": "Row brews in Punjab as Centre bypasses state response to appoint High Court Chief Justice",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/row-brews-in-punjab-as-centre-bypasses-state-response-to-appoint-high",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-06T10:44:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/punjab-bhagwant-mann-cabinet-meeting-chief-justice-ashwani-kumar-mishra-10865704/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A brewing storm has erupted in Punjab as the Centre bypasses the state's response to appoint Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has called an emergency Cabinet meeting in response to the appointment, announced by the Union Law Ministry on Saturday, nearly a month after the Supreme Court Collegium recommended his elevation. Justice Mishra has been serving as the Acting Chief Justice since June following the elevation of Sheel Nagu to the Supreme Court.\n\nThe Punjab government's failure to provide an official response to the Centre's recommendation has led to the Centre's unilateral decision to appoint Justice Mishra. Punjab's Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, addressing a press conference in Jalandhar, criticized the appointment process, alleging that the BJP-led Central government is undermining Punjab's interests. Cheema stated that the matter is serious and sensitive, accusing the federal structure of being under attack.\n\nThe emergency Cabinet meeting, expected to convene at 4 PM on Sunday, will delve into the state's constitutional rights, the federal implications of the appointment, and the legal and constitutional aspects of the situation. The meeting will also explore the government's next course of action and strategy on the issue. Punjab's objections to the appointment come amid a broader debate over the process for appointing the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, particularly regarding the roles of the judiciary, the Union Government, and the state.\n\nThe controversy is expected to heighten tensions between the AAP-led Punjab government and the BJP-led Centre, potentially adding another layer of friction between the two parties. The state government has increasingly emphasized its constitutional and federal rights in recent days.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "The Chief Justice is not a Touring Minister: Baffoe-Bonnie’s SOE visits are unconstitutional officiousness",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/the-chief-justice-is-not-a-touring-minister-baffoe-bonnies-soe-visits",
        "published": "2026-09-06T12:46:43.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}