NEW DELHI: In a major Cabinet reshuffle, Arjun Ram Meghwal has replaced Kiren Rijiju as the Law 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 part of the reshuffle. Kiren Rijijiu has meanwhile been assigned the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Kiren Rijiju, after the reshuffle and change of his portfolio, said that it has been his privilege to serve as the Union Minister of Law and Justice. “It has been a privilege and an honour to serve as Union Minister of Law and Justice under the guidance of Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi ji”, he said.
Extended best wishes to my colleague Shri @arjunrammeghwal ji on getting new responsibility as Minister of State (Independent charge) of Law & Justice https://t.co/2ZYrhGclya pic.twitter.com/txIsa0BfAs
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) May 18, 2023
Rijiju thanked Chief Justice of India Dr Justice D Y Chandrachud and other judges and said, “I thank Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, all judges of Supreme Court, Chief Justices and Judges of High Courts, lower judiciary and entire law officers for the huge support in ensuring delivering ease of justice and providing legal services for our citizens. I look forward to fulfilling the vision of Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi ji in the Earth Sciences Ministry with the same zeal and vigour I have imbibed as a humble karyakarta of BJP”, he noted in a tweet.
A short communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said, “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”.
Rijiju took over as the Law and Justice Minister on July 8, 2021. He served as Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports from May 2019 to July 2021. (ANI)