"Putting out secret and sensitive reports of RAW or IB in public domain is a matter of grave concern," Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who was removed as the Union Law Minister on Thursday, had said in January. Rijiju's statement came at the peak of the Central government's tussle with the Supreme Court Collegium.
The comment was one of many such made amid the prolonged conflict between the ministry and the judiciary that had escalated over the appointment of judges to the High Court.
The Supreme Court Collegium, in an unprecedented move, had disclosed the Union government's reasons for objecting to appointments recommended by the judicial appointments body. The collegium -- made up of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and other senior most judges -- had then gone on to reiterate their recommendations.
The government's reasons for sending back the names of lawyers to the judicial appointment body ranged from sexual orientation to social media posts critical of the Prime Minister.
"The government can seek a reconsideration of the names recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium," Rijiju reiterated in February.
After constant headlines over tussle with the judiciary put the government in a fix, the Centre announced Arjun Ram Meghwal as Rijiju's replacement on Thursday.