No vested right to appointment for candidates before Agnipath scheme: SC

10-04-2023 : The Supreme Court of India has dismissed two petitions challenging the Centre’s Agnipath scheme for recruitment into the armed forces, which sought directions to complete the recruitment processes for the Indian Army and Air Force that were discontinued after the introduction of the scheme. The court upheld the Delhi High Court’s verdict, which stated that candidates who were selected through recruitment processes before the scheme’s launch do not have a vested right to appointment.

The bench rejected the argument that the ‘doctrine of promissory estoppel’ will apply, stating that the decision to not proceed with the previous recruitment processes cannot be termed as arbitrary. The court stated that it would not interfere with the lower court’s verdict, which had dealt with all aspects of the case. The bench posted a third plea related to recruitment in the Indian Air Force before the scheme’s launch for hearing on April 17, and asked the Centre to file its response to the plea.