Jalandhar: Senior AAP leader and Punjab Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema questioned the Union Government on Sunday regarding the process surrounding the appointment of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Speaking at a news conference, the Minister stated that the central government finalized the elevation without receiving the state government’s official perspective, calling into question the central administration’s commitment to cooperative federalism.
The Minister asserted that under Para 6 of the Memorandum of Procedure, consultation with the state executive forms an essential step in judicial elevations. He declared that proceeding without this mandatory input ignores constitutional norms designed to balance power between state and central authorities.
During his address, the Minister contrasted the speed of the current notification with previous judicial appointments. He cited the 2024 recommendation for Justice G.S. Sandhawalia, which remained on hold for over two months, asking why uniform consultation standards were not maintained in the present case.
In response to the development, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann scheduled an emergency Cabinet session for Sunday evening to evaluate administrative and legal responses. The Minister affirmed that the state government remains dedicated to protecting its statutory rights against federal overreach.
