SC to examine pleas challenging Agnipath scheme next week

In the PIL, Sharma has alleged that the government has quashed the century-old selection process for the Armed forces which is contrary to the constitutional provisions

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider next week pleas challenging the Centre's Agnipath scheme related to recruitment of youth into all three-armed forces divisions for a four-year period.

A counsel mentioned the matter for urgent hearing before a bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and J K Maheshwari, who ordered for listing it on reopening of the courts, subject to approval of the Chief Justice of India.

The armed forces aspirants wanted the scheme not be made applicable to those who are already undergoing the selection process, advocate Kumud Lata Das said on behalf of the candidates for the post of Airmen.

Despite several mentioning, the registry has not given a specific date, the counsel further said.

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Advocate M L Sharma also mentioned in his plea for a direction from the court to quash the notification issued on June 14, 2022, by the Ministry of Defence announcing the scheme.

He said more than 70,000 are still awaiting appointment letters.

A number of petitions including one by advocates Harsh Ajay Singh, C R Jaya Sukin and Vishal Tiwari have been filed in the court in connection with the Agnipath scheme.

Protests have broken out in several parts of the country, after the announcement of the scheme, related to recruitment of candidates between 17.5--21 years in armed forces for a four-year period. However, subsequently, the central government increased the upper age limit to 23 years for recruitment in 2022.