The Supreme Court on Monday endorsed the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the armed forces at the entry point of soldiers as it dismissed pleas challenging the merging in the new scheme of the recruitment process that had commenced prior to the introduction of Agnipath in 2022.
Declining two pleas challenging Delhi High Court’s February 27 verdict, a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice J B Pardiwala said that the candidates, who had earlier got selected through earlier recruitment processes like rallies, physical and medical tests, do not have a “vested right” to appointment.
The high court had, in its verdict, said that the Agnipath scheme was formulated in the national interest with a laudable objective of maintaining national security.
“Sorry, we would not like to interfere with the high court verdict. The high court had dealt with all the aspects,” it said, while dismissing separate pleas by Gopal Krishan and advocate M L Sharma against the high court order.
The bench, however, posted for hearing on April 17, a fresh plea by one. Lokesh Kumar, relating to recruitment in the Indian Air Forces (IAF) prior to the launch of the Agnipath scheme. The bench asked the Centre to file its response to the plea.
Besides challenging the Delhi High Court order, petitioner Gopal Krishan had sought direction for the conduct of Common Entrance Examination for Indian Army.