Ashwani Kumar Mishra
Hon'ble Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra | |
|---|---|
| 37th Chief justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court | |
| Assumed office TBC | |
| Nominated by | Surya Kant |
| Preceding | Sheel Nagu |
| Judge of Punjab & Haryana High Court | |
| Assumed office 21 July 2025 Acting CJ : 2 June 2025 - Incumbent | |
| Nominated by | B. R. Gavai |
| Appointed by | Droupadi Murmu |
| Judge of Allahabad High Court | |
| In office 3 February 2014 – 20 July 2025 | |
| Nominated by | Altamas Kabir |
| Appointed by | Pranab Mukherjee |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 November 1968 |
| Relations | Ajay Kumar Mishra (brother) |
| Parent | Justice Shree Rang Mishra |
| Education | Kirori Mal College (B.A), Faculty of Law, University of Delhi (LL.B) |
Ashwani Kumar Mishra (born 16 November 1968) is an Indian jurist, who is currently serving as the Acting Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court.[1] He is former judge of Allahabad High Court.[2][3]
Education and background
[edit]Mishra was born in family of lawyers with his father Shree Rang Mishra being former judge of Allahabad and Calcutta High Court[4] and elder brother Ajay Kumar Mishra is the current Advocate general of Uttar Pradesh since 2022.[5] His academic foundation began at Delhi University, where he earned a B.A. (Honours) degree in Economics from Kirori Mal College before going on to obtain his LL.B. from the prestigious Campus Law Centre.
Career
[edit]He formally entered the legal profession upon enrolling as an advocate on 8 May 1993. Over the next two decades, he built a highly successful practice that centered primarily on civil, constitutional, and service law. During this period, he served as an arguing counsel for numerous prominent statutory and corporate entities, including NOIDA, the Indian Oil Corporation, IFFCO, the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation, and the development authorities of both Ghaziabad and Allahabad.[6] His legal expertise also made him a trusted representative for the state government, which routinely engaged him as a senior counsel in high-stakes legal matters. In recognition of his exceptional standing and contributions to the bar, he was designated as a Senior Advocate in 2013.[7] His judicial career commenced shortly after when he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court on 3 February 2014.[6] Demonstrating deep legal acumen, he was made a permanent judge of the same court on 1 February 2016. One of the most historic and high-profile verdicts delivered by a bench that included Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra was the October 2023 ruling in the Nithari serial killings cases. Sitting on a division bench at the Allahabad High Court alongside Justice Syama Charan, Justice Mishra co-authored the landmark judgment that acquitted the two prime accused, Moninder Singh Pandher and his domestic help, Surinder Koli, in several cases where they had previously been sentenced to death. The bench overturned the capital punishment orders issued by a special CBI court, citing a severe failure on the part of the prosecution. In the detailed ruling, the bench expressed deep disappointment with how the investigation was handled. They pointed out that the probing agencies completely failed to gather solid forensic evidence and relied instead on flawed, uncorroborated confessions. The judgment highlighted that the investigation botches violated the basic constitutional rights of the accused to a fair trial, leading to the acquittals due to a lack of definitive proof beyond a reasonable doubt.[8]
Justice Mishra dedicated over eleven years of service to the Allahabad High Court before being transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where he officially assumed his new responsibilities on 21 July 2025.[9] Following the elevation of the then Chief Justice Sheel Nagu to the Supreme Court of India, Justice Mishra's seniority and administrative capabilities led to his appointment as the Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 2 June 2026.[10]
Supreme Court Collegium formally recommended Mishra's appointment as the permanent Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 6 August 2026. This crucial recommendation came directly from the apex judicial body, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. The decision was reached during a Collegium meeting held just a little over two months after Justice Mishra had taken the reins as the High Court's Acting Chief Justice.[11]
References
[edit]- ↑ NETWORK, LIVELAW NEWS (2026-06-01). "Centre Notifies Appointment Of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra As Acting Chief Justice Of Punjab & Haryana High Court". www.livelaw.in. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- ↑ "Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra". Allahabadhighcourt.in.
- ↑ "Justice Ashwani Kumar posted to Punjab and Haryana HC from Allahabad". The Indian Express. 15 July 2025.
- ↑ "FULL COURT CONDOLENCE MEETING IN CHIEF JUSTICE'S COURT ON 23-12-2005". www.allahabadhighcourt.in.
- ↑ "Uttar Pradesh: SC advocate Ajay Mishra appointed advocate general". The Times of India. 2022-05-11. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- 1 2 "12 more judges take oath at ceremony in high court". The Times of India. 2014-02-04. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- ↑ "Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra". sangrur.dcourts.gov.in.
- ↑ "Hon'ble Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra: A Beacon of Judicial Courage in the Nithari Killings Verdict". www.legalbites.in. 2025-08-01. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- ↑ "Centre notifies transfer of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra from Allahabad to Punjab and Haryana High Court". Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news. 14 July 2025.
- ↑ "Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra Appointed Acting Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Following Justice Sheel Nagu's Elevation to Supreme Court - Law Trend". 2026-06-01. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- ↑ Nath, Swagta (2026-08-09). "Collegium recommends Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra as Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court". Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news. Retrieved 2026-08-09.