India, April 22 -- The Bombay High Court on Tuesday turned down the central government's request for another month's time to file its response to a petition seeking parity in death benefits for soldiers recruited under the Agniveer scheme who are killed in the line of duty.

"We find the said request to be a bit inconsiderate", a division bench of justices Ravindra V Ghuge and Hiten Venegavkar said while expressing disappointment over the lack of any response from the centre despite the passage of three months since a notice was issued by the court. It directed the central government to file its response within two weeks. Directions were also issued to the state government, and the ministry of defence, the chief of army staff and the depa...