Chandigarh: In a major policy resolution adopted on Sunday, the Punjab Cabinet formally requested that the Union Government pause the elevation and oath administration of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The state leadership asserted that the central notification of September 5 proceeded without receiving or reviewing feedback from the Punjab Government, violating established consultative frameworks governing higher judicial appointments.
Official records cited by the Chief Minister’s Office indicated that while formal correspondence seeking state consent was initiated in mid-August following the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation, the final appointment was notified without allowing sufficient timeline for state evaluation. The cabinet noted that the Memorandum of Procedure mandates an integrated process involving both central and state constitutional authorities before proposals reach the Prime Minister and President.
The resolution linked the sudden judicial notification to ongoing administrative friction regarding state rights and resource allocation. Officials reiterated long-standing concerns over unpaid financial claims, specifically citing 9,000 crore rupees in pending Rural Development Fund allocations and unreleased disaster relief funds following the 2025 floods, alongside modified representation rules within the Bhakra Beas Management Board.
Calling for procedural propriety, the state executive maintained that judicial appointments must strictly adhere to statutory consultation steps to uphold institutional transparency and safeguard state rights within the national federal framework.
