New Delhi: On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to hear two petitions that contested a decision by the Delhi High Court upholding the legality of the Agnitpath system and requesting that the Common Entrance Test for the Indian Army be held right away.
Two applications that contested the Delhi High Court ruling from February 27 were dismissed by a bench presided over by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud. Both petitions were submitted by attorneys, ML Sharma for one and Gopal Krishn for the other.
The highest court ruled that the applicants chosen in the defence hiring procedure prior to the implementation of the Agnipath plan do not have vested appointment rights. Due to a brain stoke, attorney ML Sharma requested a postponement of the hearing. But, the court observed that it had dismissed his suit because Sharma had argued that the Agnipath initiative should have been introduced by parliament rather than through a scheme.
Gopal Krishn has appealed the February 27 Delhi High Court order and asked the court to direct the relevant parties to conduct the Common Entrance Examination for the Indian Army for which admit cards have been issued, release the illegally withheld results of the STAR Intake 01/2022 for the Indian Air Force, and fill reserve positions that were announced in response to the Provisional Selection List dated May 31 2021 for the STAR Intake 01/2021, now known as Intake 02/2021 for the Indian Air Force.
Gopal Krishn made it clear in his petition, which was submitted through attorney Arunava Mukherjee, that the petitioners weren't contesting the Agnipath Scheme, but rather the illegal termination of hiring for candidates who had already taken part in the hiring process in 2021, several months before the announcement of the scheme on June 14, 2022, effective June 15, 2022.
The top court did state that a petition regarding IAF recruiting prior to the implementation of the Agnipath scheme would be considered on April 17. "Recruitment process was initiated vide notification dated Dec 11 2019 issued by the Indian Air Force for the post of Airmen in Group "X" trades (except education instructor trade) and Group "Y" trades (except automobile technician, Indian Air Force (Security), Indian Air Force (Police) and musician trades")," said petitioner Lokesh Kumar, who was represented by attorney Prashant Bhushan.
On February 27, the Delhi High Court dismissed several petitions against the Centre's Agnipath scheme and requesting a return to and enrollment in the Indian Defense Services in accordance with the former recruitment programme.
On June 14, 2022, the Union Cabinet approved a recruiting programme named Agnipath for Indian youth to join the three services of the Armed Forces. The youth chosen under this programme will be referred to as Agniveers. Agnipath enables determined young people who are patriotic to serve in the military for four years. The Agnipath Program was created to enable a younger demographic inside the armed forces.
Supreme Court dismisses Waqf Board's petition demanding prayers in Qutub complex's mosque
Telangana Guv Tamilisai Soundararajan clears 3 out of 10 pending Bills
