Delhi high court to pronounce verdict on pleas against Agnipath scheme today

The Delhi high court will on Monday pronounce its judgment on pleas challenging the Agnipath military recruitment scheme that triggered protests last year over the shorter tenure and fewer benefits it offers.

A bench of chief justice Satish Chandra Sharma and justice Subramonium Prasad reserved its order on December 15 and asked the parties to file their written submissions by December 23 before the court’s winter vacation.

In July, the Supreme Court transferred the petitions. It asked the high courts of Kerala, Punjab and Haryana, Patna, and Uttarakhand to transfer the pleas against the scheme to the Delhi high court or keep them pending till a decision is delivered if the petitioners so desire.

In August, the Delhi high court declined to halt the scheme and said it would hear the matter instead of passing an interim order.

The Union government told the court in October that recruitment in the military is an essential sovereign function keeping national security in mind.

It added structural changes were necessitated in the context of the “sea change” in global military warfare, “to evolve a youthful, modern and futuristic fighting force” and to infuse young blood into the Army, who are mentally and physically fit.

The Union government argued Agnipath is a “tailor-made scheme” which has been formulated after comprehensive discussions by experts to serve the needs of the nation and a changing warfare.