Fresh PIL filed against army chief in-waiting

Lt Gen Bikram Singh, designated as the next chief of army staff, is likely to face a fresh challenge as former chiefs of naval staff, Admiral L Ramdas and Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat along with a host of former bureaucrats filed a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court on Wednesday challenging his appointment.

Listing a host of allegations in the petition, they said Lt Gen Singh was not fit to command the 1.3 million-Indian Army and instead, the present incumbent, Gen V K Singh should be allowed to continue. Admiral Ramdas, who has been publicly supporting the present army chief, is behind the petition along with former bureaucrats like MG Devashyam and former chief election commissioner N Gopalaswamy. The petition was filed by advocate Kamini Jaiswal who has been behind several similar petitions along with Prashant Bhushan for decades.

The PIL has questioned Lt Gen Bikram Singh’s appointment as the petitioners allege “manipulations” by the present government at thje Centre to bring him to the top position in the army in complete disregard to the national interest.

If admitted for hearing, legal experts feel, a judgment in this law suit would have salutary effect on the selection of top ranking army officers who are nurtured to head one of the largest armies in the world.