Delhi High Court: Hearing on petitions against Agneepath scheme fixed for July 20, Navy's employment advertisement has been challenged

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday fixed July 20 for hearing several petitions challenging the Centre's Agneepath scheme.

The Agneepath scheme, announced on June 14, provides for the recruitment of youth in the age group of 17-and-a-half to 21 years only for four years in the Defense Forces Army, of which 25 percent are to be retained for 15 years. Protests have started in many states against this scheme. Later, the government increased the upper age limit for recruitment to 23 years in 2022.

A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramaniam Prasad is hearing an application filed in a pending petition. The application challenges the employment advertisement of the Indian Navy saying that it is contrary to the eligibility criteria already prescribed. The Advertisement reserves the right to shortlist applicants by increasing the cut-off marks obtained by them in the class 12th examination after receipt of their applications for recruitment as a person below the rank of officer in the force (PBOR).

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that similar cases challenging the Agneepath scheme are already pending before the High Court and they can be heard together. The bench directed that all such petitions be listed together on July 20.

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