Pleas challenging Centre's Agnipath Scheme to be heard by Delhi HC on July 20

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday said it will hear several petitions challenging the central government's Agnipath scheme on July 20.

Announced on June 24, the Agnipath scheme envisages recruiting youngsters between 17 and a half to 21 years in the defence force for four years and retaining 25 per cent of them for 15 more years.

Protests against the project have been raised in many states. Later, the government extended the upper age limit for recruitment in 2022 to 23 years.

The High Court on Tuesday was hearing a pending petition challenging the Indian Navy's job advertisement's reservation of its right to shortlist applicants by increasing the cut-off marks obtained in the Class 12 examination, contrary to the earlier set eligibility criteria, after their applications were received for recruitment as Person Below Officer Rank (PBOR) in the force.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed a bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad that similar issues challenging the Agnipath project are pending before the High Court. The bench then decided that they be heard together and all such petitions are listed together and will be heard on July 20.

With PTI inputs