New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Tuesday transferred various pleas challenging the Agnipath Scheme to the Delhi High Court.

The apex court also clarified that as similar petitions challenging the scheme are pending in various High Courts, they should give an option to the petitioners to have their petitions transferred to the Delhi HC or keep them pending with liberty to intervene in the Delhi HC.

The Court also requested the Delhi High Court to take up the matter expeditiously.

High Courts of Delhi, Kerala, Punjab and Haryana, Patna and Uttarakhand are hearing matters connected to the scheme.

The Union Cabinet on June 14 approved the new recruitment scheme for the armed forces.

Youth between the age of 17 and a half and 21 will be eigible to apply under the scheme. 

Those selected will be called ‘Agniveers’. They will be hired on a contractual basis for four years.

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Only 25 per cent of the recruits will be later absorbed as regulars in the three wings of the armed forces. Rest will be asked to leave with a one-time lumpsum monetary benefit.