Delhi High Court will be hearing pleas challenging the Agnipath scheme starting today, December 12, at 2:30 pm. On November 18, the court had scheduled the hearings for today, calling the scheme a "core issue," per a report by Live Law. "Agniveer is the main matter... We will keep these matters on December 12 at 2:30 pm," the court said.
The government, on June 15, first announced the Agnipath recruitment scheme to allow Indian youth, called 'Agniveers', to serve in the armed forces for four years. The scheme allows for 46,000 soldiers to be recruited that would have a distinct rank in the services and a distinct insignia to wear.
Agniveers are promised a Rs 11-lakh 'Seva Nidhi' compensation package, which would be exempt from income tax, given they complete the 4 years of service.
Following the announcement, widespread youth protests spread across the nation as people protested the lack of job guarantees, retirement benefits and uncertain chances of re-induction into the forces.
The Bharat bandh led to road closures, blocked highways and burnt trains across several states, such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, in June 2022.
In July 2022, the Supreme Court directed all pleas challenging the Agnipath scheme to the Delhi High Court, claiming they wanted a "well-considered view" of the high court.
"The Constitution provides for such a plea to be moved first in the high court as the case is also pending before it," a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant and AS Bopanna said.
