Acting Chief Justices appointed for High Courts of Bombay, MP, Punjab and Haryana and J&K

The Central government has issued notifications appointing acting Chief Justices across four High Courts – Punjab and Haryana, Bombay, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh – following the elevation of their respective Chief Justices as judges of the Supreme Court of India. 

A gazette notification was issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice on June 1, notifying the following appointments:

1. Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra appointed Acting Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court (after the elevation of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu)

2. Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge appointed Acting Chief Justice, Bombay High Court (after the elevation of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar)

3. Justice Vivek Rusia appointed Acting Chief Justice, Madhya Pradesh High Court (after the elevation of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva)

4. Justice Sanjeev Kumar appointed Acting Chief Justice, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court (after elevation of Chief Justice Arun Palli)

Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra was elevated as a judge of the Allahabad High Court in 2014. He was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in July 2025. He is set to retire in November 2030. Following earlier Chief Justice Nagu's appointment as a Supreme Court judge, the current strength of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana stands at 57 judges against a sanctioned strength of 85.

Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge was elevated as a judge of the Bombay High Court in 2013. He is due to retire in July 2028. The current strength of the High Court is 77 judges against a sanctioned strength of 94.

Justice Vivek Rusia was elevated as a judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2016. He is set to retire in August 2031. The current strength of the High Court is 40 judges against a sanctioned strength of 53.

Justice Sanjeev Kumar was elevated as a judge of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in 2017. He is due to retire in April 2028. The current strength of the High Court is 12 judges against a sanctioned strength of 25.

With the exception of Justice Mishra, each of the newly appointed acting Chief Justices has a remaining judicial tenure of more than six months at their respective parent High Courts. 

It is, therefore, likely that the Supreme Court Collegium will move shortly to recommend permanent Chief Justices for these courts.

Justices Sheel Nagu, Shree Chandrashekhar, Sanjeev Sachdeva, Arun Palli and V Mohana were sworn in as judges of the Supreme Court this morning.

[Read notifications on appointments of Acting Chief Justices]