Piyush Goyal appointed Leader of House in Rajya Sabha
New Delhi, Jun 14: BJP leader and Union Minister Piyush Goyal was on Wednesday appointed as the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, an elevation that makes him the face of the government in the upper house.
With the ruling BJP not having a majority in Rajya Sabha, Goyal will be tasked with navigating various political challenges in the House while delivering on the government's legislative agenda.
Announcing the appointment, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi congratulated Goyal.
"He has been entrusted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji with key responsibility. Wishing him continued vigour in the service to the nation," Joshi said.
Goyal, who was holding the responsibility of the Deputy Leader in the upper house, will succeed erstwhile Union Minister Thaawarchand Gahlot who has been appointed the governor of Karnataka.
His appointment marks a political elevation within the BJP as he will be on the post that was once held by party heavyweights like Jaswant Singh and Arun Jaitley.
Congratulating Goyal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, "I am confident that Piyush bhai, with his dedication, abilities and energy, will become a strong voice for the BJP in Rajya Sabha" and strengthen the resolve to work for the welfare of the poor under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Goyal, 57, a two-time Rajya Sabha MP, has been holding the charge of several ministries -- Commerce and Industry, Food and Consumer Affairs, and Textiles.
Earlier he was the Minister of Railways and Coal (2017-19). He has also held the additional charge of the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs twice in 2018 and 2019.
In 2014, he joined the Modi government as Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy (2014-2017), and Mines (2016-17).
Prior to joining the government, Goyal was the BJP's treasurer for four years. The party has been utilising his services in general elections since 1991 and all elections since 2004.
In the 2019 elections, Goyal was a member of the Manifesto and Publicity Committees.
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Justice Nagarathna dissents on SC collegium’s recommendation of Justice Pancholi
Dissent cites seniority concerns, Gujarat High Court’s over-representation
New Delhi: Supreme Court judge B.V. Nagarathna has recorded a dissent note against the collegium’s recommendation to elevate Patna High Court Chief Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi to the apex court, The Indian Express reported.
The five-member collegium, comprising Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, J.K. Maheshwari, and Nagarathna, reached the decision with a 4–1 split. Justice Nagarathna, the lone woman on the bench, opposed Pancholi’s elevation, citing concerns over seniority and regional representation.
Justice Pancholi ranks 57th on the all-India seniority list of high court judges. Justice Nagarathna reportedly objected to the move, noting that it came less than three months after another judge from the Gujarat High Court, Justice N.V. Anjaria, was elevated to the Supreme Court. She argued that advancing Pancholi would bypass several senior judges and further increase Gujarat’s representation at the top court, while other high courts remain underrepresented.
Her dissenting note, according to reports, emphasized that such decisions could undermine the credibility of the collegium system and have long-term consequences for the administration of justice.
Justice Pancholi, who served nearly two decades in the Gujarat High Court, was transferred to Patna High Court in July 2023 and appointed its Chief Justice in July 2025. His elevation, along with that of Justice Anjaria, was intended to maintain Gujarat’s representation in the Supreme Court following the retirements of Justices M.R. Shah and Bela Trivedi earlier this year.
With a sanctioned strength of 34 judges, the Supreme Court follows criteria of seniority, merit, integrity, and regional balance in appointments. Justice Nagarathna’s dissent highlights ongoing debates about diversity and fairness in judicial elevations.
