Congress steers clear of SC proceedings in army chief's case

Congress on Friday steered clear of the proceedings in the Supreme Court on the Army chief's age row on a day when Gen VK Singh seems to have won the first round in the legal battle.

"These are purely legal proceedings. The matter is sub-judice. What is there for political parties to comment. This is precisely the practice I condemn which the BJP is in the habit of doing," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

Wondering how could political parties "parachute into this space", he said it is a "sad and bad day for democracy and judiciary" whenever it happens. He charged the BJP with doing this "day in and day out".

Singhvi's comments came on a day when the apex court observed that the manner in which the Army chief's statutory complaint was rejected by the Government "appears to be vitiated".

Posting the matter for hearing on February 10, the court sought to know whether the Government would like to withdraw its December 30, 2011 order.

Defence Minister AK Antony had issued an order on December 30 turning down the statutory complaint of Gen Singh that his date of birth be treated in Army's records as May 10, 1951 and not as May 10, 1950.