Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Wednesday has replaced Kiren Rijiju as the Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (independent charge) in a major Cabinet reshuffle. Meghwal will continue to hold his additional portfolios.
Rijiju has been assigned the Ministry of Earth Sciences as a part of this reshuffle. Arjun Ram was the minister of State for Culture & Parliamentary Affairs, and Lok Sabha MP from Bikaner. Rijiju took over as the Law and Justice Minister on July 8, 2021. Prior to this, he served as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports from May 2019 to July 2021.
Rijiju's tenure as the Union law minister was marked by constant tension with the Judiciary over the collegium system of appointing judges. Rijiju has called the system of appointing judges as "opaque", "alien to Constitution", and the "only system in the world where judges appoint people known to them" on several public forums.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court quashed a plea by the Bombay Lawyers Association (BLA) against Rijiju's remarks over the collegium system for appointment of judges. The BLA claimed the Union minister showed a lack of faith in the constitution with his remarks and conduct. It also sought orders to restrain Rijiju from discharging his duties as the Union cabinet minister.
In March this year, Rijiju said at the India Today Conclave 2023 there is "heartburn" in the Judiciary but he did not comment on it. He added judges are also dealing with administrative roles and are under "huge mental pressure" so they need holidays.
In the same event, the minister had also addressed the issue of judges not being accountable. He said: "Recently, there was a seminar on the accountability of judges. But somehow the entire seminar focussed on how the executive is affecting the judiciary. There are a few judges who are activists and are part of an anti-India gang which is trying to turn the judiciary against the government like the opposition parties".
In November last year, Rijiju labelled the collegium system as "alien" to the Constitution. He said the Supreme Court created the collegium through a court ruling in 1991 and that before this, all judges were appointed by the government.
He said during another media event: "You tell me under which provision the collegium system has been prescribed". He further explained that once the Supreme Court or high court collegium gives a recommendation, the government has to do due diligence.
He added the present regime "very well respect the collegium system until or unless it is replaced by a better system". The Supreme Court had expressed its reservations on Rijiju's remarks at the time. The top court said while the government can convey objections to the Collegium's recommendations, it cannot hold back names without tacitly citing its reservations while adding there are names pending for as long as 1.5 years.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi took a jibe at the Central government and asked on Twitter: "Is it because of the Maharashtra judgement embarrasment? Or the Modani-SEBI investigation?"
Senior Congress leader and former Union law minister Kapil Sibal took a jibe at Kiren Rijiju following the Cabinet reshuffle. Sibal tweeted: "Kiren Rijiju: Not Law, Now Minister for Earth Sciences. Not easy to understand the science behind the laws. Now will try to grapple with the laws of science. Good luck my friend!"
Congress leader Alka Lamba claimed in a tweet the Central government removed Rijiju from the Law Ministry to protect his image. Lamba tweeted: "The comments and interference made by Kiren Rijiju as the law minister for some time regarding the appointment of judges and the way the courts work had created problems for the Modi government. The government did well by sacrificing its law minister to save its image".
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