Ashwani Kumar Mishra

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. He is former judge of Allahabad High Court.

Education and background Mishra was born in family of lawyers with his father Shree Rang Mishra being former judge of Allahabad and Calcutta High Court and elder brother Ajay Kumar Mishra is the current Advocate general of Uttar Pradesh since 2022. 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 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. 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. His judicial career commenced shortly after when he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court on 3 February 2014.

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. 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.

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.