New Delhi: The Army has told the Supreme Court that it does not recruit on the basis of caste, region and religion while justifying grouping of people coming from a region in a regiment for administrative convenience and operational requirements.
In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the Army refuted the allegation that unlike Air Force and Navy, there is “discriminatory classification” for recruitment on caste/religion/region basis to various regiments like Maratha Regiment, Rajasthan Rifles, Dogra Regiment, Jat Regiment, etc.
“Subject to the ineligibility imposed by the statute itself, the Act recognises that all citizens are eligible for enrolment in regular army, and no discrimination has been made on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence or any of them,” the affidavit said.
The response was filed in compliance with the apex court order directing it to file response on PIL filed by one I S Yadav, a doctor hailing from Rewari in Haryana, seeking abolition of Indian Army's recruitment criteria for its duty soldiers on the grounds of caste, region and religion.
He said there were 22 army regiments which were based on caste, region and religion.
