Generals protest posts
Upset at being given staff postings instead of command postings, two top Army lieutenant-generals have petitioned the Armed Forces Tribunal and have challenged the decision of the ministry of defence (MoD) in this regard. The two generals are the second-highest ranking officers in their respective commands where they are currently
posted. They are the Kolkata-based Eastern Command’s Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. J.S. Bajwa, and the Lucknow-based Central Command’s Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. P.G. Kamath. The chief of staff is the second highest ranking officer in a command, subordinate only to the GOC-in-C. The petition is likely to come up before the
tribunal soon for hearing.
Staff positions refer to administrative duties while command positions refer to the command of Army corps (for lieutenant-generals).
The two generals have contended that they were not given command postings despite being cleared for the same by the Army’s selection boards and have challenged the rationale of the MoD of giving them staff postings instead of command postings. According to the petitioners, the MoD had taken the decision on the ground that they did not have three years of residual service left. The petitioners have contended that the requirement of three years of residual service has not always been adhered to.
From January 1, 2009, the Army had introduced a new policy for promotion to the ranks of major-general and lieutenant-general wherein generals would be categorised into staff and command streams on promotion. Army sources had stated last year that command and staff positions are allocated on the basis of the merit list at the time of promotion to major-general and lieutenant-general wherein command positions are allocated to officers on top of the merit list with the other officers then being allocated staff positions.
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