The Supreme Court on April 10 dismissed petitions challenging the Delhi High Court judgment which upheld the Agnipath scheme for recruitment to the armed forces.
- Some of the petitioners included candidates who were shortlisted in the earlier recruitment process to Army and Air Force.
- During the hearing, a petitioner’s advocate told the apex court that their names appeared in a provisional list for recruitment to Air Force but the recruitment process was cancelled when Agnipath scheme was notified. He argued that the government must be directed to complete the old process citing the doctrine of promissory estoppel.
- Promissory estoppel is a concept developed in contractual laws.
- A valid contract under law requires an agreement to be made with sufficient consideration.
- A claim of doctrine of promissory estoppel essentially prevents a “promisor” from backing out of an agreement on the grounds that there is no “consideration.”
