New rules to pick Chief of Defence Staff, 3-star officers eligible

Tribune News Service

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, June 7

In what will expand the arc of choices before the government to appoint a new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a notification has been issued to alter the rules of selection. The amended rules will allow serving or retired Lt General-rank officers to be eligible for the post, but with the condition that the age at the time of appointment is under 62 years.

The new notification means that the announcement of CDS is likely to be made anytime now.

Effectively, the Chiefs of the three armed forces, who retire at 62 years or after putting in 3 years of service (whichever is earlier), will not be eligible unless they get selected before the retirement date or retire before they reach 62. It also means almost two dozen serving and retired Lt Generals, Vice Admirals and Air Marshals are in the fray. Officers at these positions in the forces retire at 60 years of age.

Several high-profile Commanders-in-Chief, who retired in the past two years, could fall in the selection pool. Sources said while the gazette notification refers to three-star officers, it implies officers at the level of Commander-in-Chief. Within the three star-rank officers, just a few make it to Commander-in-Chief level.

The government could also pick the CDS from among the serving three-star officers. The post of CDS has been vacant since General Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash on December 8 last year. General Rawat had been appointed for three years and was scheduled to serve till December 31, 2022.

The notification issued late Monday and published today supersedes the earlier notification, which did not specify if a retired officer could be selected.

Under the gazette notification, modifications have been made to the Army, Air Force and Navy Acts to accommodate the changes.

The notification for the Army says, “The Central Government, may, if considered necessary, in public interest appoint as Chief of Defence Staff an officer who is serving as Lt General or General or an officer who has retired in the rank of Lt General or General but has not attained the age of 62 years on the date of his appointment.”

Corresponding amendments have been to the Air Force and Navy Acts.

The notification said the government may extend the service of CDS for such a period as it may deem necessary subject to a maximum age of 65.

Within the security establishment, several names are being touted. If a serving officer is brought in, he may not necessarily be from the Army. The three service Chiefs who retired most recently will not be eligible as they are more than 62 years. This rules out General MM Naravane, Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.

Eligibility age for post capped at 62 years

• Serving or retd Lt General, Air Marshal & Vice Admiral under 62 yrs to be eligible for CDS post
• These officers can be considered for top post along with serving chiefs of tri-services
• Post vacant since the death of Gen Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash on December 8 last year
• Government issued separate notifications as part of Air Force Act, Army Act and Navy Act

Age criteria rules out recently retired Chiefs

• Govt can extend the service of CDS maximum till 65 years of age
• Tenure of 3 service Chiefs is 3 years of service or till they turn 62, whichever is earlier
• The 3 Chiefs who retired recently — Gen MM Naravane, Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria — will not be eligible as they are over 62

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