Arjun Ram Meghwal appointed Law Minister, Kiren Rijiju given Earth Sciences Ministry

New Delhi: In a major Union Cabinet reshuffle, Arjun Ram Meghwal was on Thursday appointed the new Law Minister. Kiren Rijiju, who lost the ministry, has now been assigned the portfolio of Ministry of Earth Sciences.

President Draupadi Murmu, as advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has redistributed portfolios among ministers in the Union Council of Ministers, said a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Minister of State Meghwal has been assigned independent charge as Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice in addition to his existing portfolios. He is currently the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and the Minister of State for Culture.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh was holding the charge of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

The development comes amid the ongoing tussle over the SC collegium system. Rijiju had said the collegium system of appointment of judges was “opaque and not transparent”. He took over as the Minister of Law and Justice on July 8, 2021.