MoS Law Prof S P Baghel moved to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

New Delhi: Hours after shifting Kiren Rijiju from the law ministry, the Centre on Thursday moved Minister of State Prof S P Baghel to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

This was necessitated after Arjun Ram Meghwal was made the Minister of State with Independent charge of the Ministry of Law and Justice.

According to the convention, a ministry headed by a Minister of State with independent charge does not have a deputy.    
    
A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said President Droupadi Murmu, as advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been pleased to direct that "Prof S P Singh Baghel, Minister of State be assigned as Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in place of Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice." 

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday lost the Law Ministry and has been assigned to the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State in charge of Parliamentary Affairs, will now also have Independent Charge of the Law Ministry. This is the first time in recent history that the Law Minister is not of cabinet rank. 

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.