Cabinet reshuffle: Arjun Ram Meghwal replaces Kiren Rijiju as Union Law Minister

Kiren Rijiju (L) and Arjun Ram Meghwal (R). Pics/PTI

In a major Cabinet reshuffle, Arjun Ram Meghwal has replaced Kiren Rijiju as the Union and Justice Minister, a communique from President's Secretariat said on Thursday.

Meghwal will also get existing portfolios of Rijiju apart from the Law and Justice Ministry as a part of this reshuffle.

"The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has been pleased to direct the following reallocation of portfolios among Ministers in the Union Council of Ministers, the portfolio of Ministry of Earth Sciences be assigned to Kiren Rijiju and Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State be assigned the independent charge as Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice in addition to his existing portfolios, in place of Shri Kiren Rijiju," the communique added.

As law minister, Rijiju had been the most vocal in the government in criticising the collegium system of appointing Supreme Court and high court judges and described it as being "alien" to the Constitution.

His recent remarks on some retired judges being part of an anti-India gang had evoked strong reactions.

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He had claimed that a few retired judges and some activists who are part of the "anti-India gang" were trying to make the Indian judiciary play the role of opposition party.

Rijiju was named as law minister on July 7, 2021.

The Sports Minister and the Minister of State for Minority Affairs at that time, Rijiju got the coveted portfolio following the resignation of senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad.

A brief communique of Rashtrapati Bhavan said President Droupadi Murmu, as advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has reallocated portfolios among ministers in the Union Council of Ministers.

"The portfolio of (the) Ministry of Earth Sciences be assigned to Shri Kiren Rijiju," it said.

Meghwal is currently the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and the Minister of State for Culture.

He has been assigned independent charge as Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice in addition to his existing portfolios, according to the communique.

Rijiju will take over from Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who was holding charge of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)