Agnipath will ensure ‘more robust’ national security, govt tells HC
NEW DELHI: Recruitment in the army is an essential sovereign function for upholding national security, the Union government has told the Delhi high court while defending the Agnipath hiring scheme for the defence forces, asking the court to not interfere with the policy.
In an affidavit filed through the defence ministry, the government said the structural changes in the army were necessitated in the context of the “sea change” in global military warfare “to evolve a youthful, modern and futuristic fighting force” and to infuse young blood into the army, who are mentally and physically fit.
The decision to implement the scheme comes under the “sovereign policymaking functions” of the central government, and the scope of judicial review is extremely limited, the Centre’s affidavit said. “Therefore, the central government in exercise of its sovereign power and to effectively and efficiently safeguard the security and integrity of the country is duly empowered to change the policy providing the mode and methods/service conditions of the persons who are to be employed in the armed forces,” the affidavit read.
A bench of chief justice Satish Chandra Sharma and justice Subramonium Prasad will hear at least seven petitions challenging
the Agnipath scheme on Wednesday. In August, the division bench of high court had denied to stay the scheme and asked the Union government to file a reply to the pleas.
Seeking dismissal of the pleas, the Centre has told the high court that defending Indian territory, which has a “peculiar border situation”, from external and internal threats, requires agile, youthful and technologically adept armed forces and the Agnipath scheme, therefore, aims at reducing the average age profile of soldiers from the present 32 years to 26 years.
The Centre said that recruitment through the Agnipath scheme involves a “merit based, transparent and robust assessment process” and fair opportunity would be provided to all willing personnel to compete for the regular cadre, and ultimately, a “nationalist, disciplined and skilled manpower would be provided to society and exited Agniveers will be an asset for the nation and society”.