Plea in SC seeks panel to analyse scheme impact

The Supreme Court should set up a committee to evaluate the impact the new Agnipath recruitment scheme for the armed forces will have on national security, and also establish a special investigation team to enquire into the largescale violence leading to destruction of public property following the launch of the scheme on June 14, lawyer Vishal Tiwari requested in a petition to the top court on Friday.

Referring to the widespread protests over the scheme that provides for a four-year tour of duty in the armed forces, the public interest litigation filed by advocate Tiwari said, “Such experimental radical change in the structure and pattern of the military can lead to severe strategic uncertainties which could compromise the national security of the country.”

Seeking an expert committee to examine the scheme before its implementation, the plea sought a direction from the court to set up an expert panel headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to study the impact of the scheme on “national security and Army of our nation”.

The concern over the scheme, according to the petition, arises out of the short length of service with no retirement benefits. “The defence aspirants during their protests have alleged that this Agnipath scheme leads to a road of uncertainty for soldiers who will have to leave the services after four years,” the plea stated.