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Synopsis

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear plea seeking a direction to the Union of India through its Ministries and Department of Military Affairs for reconsideration of the ‘Agnipath’ Scheme.

A bench of Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice JK Maheshwari has listed the matter after vacations.

After the recent protests in different parts of the country against the Agnipath Scheme, several PILs have been moved before the Apex Court.

The instant plea has sought a direction for constitution of a committee for providing inputs to the Department of Military Affairs, Ministry of Defence and also to invite the suggestions of the stakeholders, job aspirants of armed forces and of retired Army officers for amendments to Agnipath Scheme for providing Job Opportunities to 75% Agniveers, post-retirement.

Alleging that it is a half-baked reform with multiple ramifications, the plea stated,

"There are various shortcomings in this reform and with further discussion, it would have been executed as a better reform. But as usual, it was pushed from the top by politicians and bureaucrats with 3 chiefs left to defend the indefensible."

The PIL has also cited widespread protest in many states of the country including Bihar, UP, Haryana, Telangana, Uttrakhand, West Bengal, etc., that ensued upon the announcement of the scheme.

On a similar note, another Public Interest Litigation was moved before the Supreme Court seeking direction for the formation of a Special Investigation Team to investigate the violent protests against the 'Agnipath Scheme'.

One other Public Interest Litigation has also been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Agnipath Scheme by Advocate ML Sharma stating that the notification being contrary to the constitution is a serious injury to the citizen of India including to the Indian army which cannot be repaired if not quashed.