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The Defence Ministry has turned down Army chief General VK Singh’s statutory complaint regarding his age controversy and maintained that his date of birth stands as May 10, 1950 and not May 10, 1951 as contended by him.
The Ministry went through nearly 500 documents supplied by Singh to argue his case that his correct year of birth is 1951 and not 1950 and Defence Minister AK Antony took the final call after taking legal opinion as the Army chief filed the statutory complaint to him, sources said here on Friday.
Meanwhile, Singh met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee here on Friday and later told reporters that he called on the Minister to wish a happy new year. Singh also refuted reports that the Defence Ministry has conveyed the decision to him about the age issue and said he has not got any such indication.
Singh had submitted the statutory complaint to Antony three months ago seeking a decision on age issue. The Army chief earlier this month wrote to Antony to take a decision on the complaint. Singh wrote this letter claiming that a statutory complaint has to be addressed within 90 days.
However, sources said the Defence Minister is not bound by this rule and the 90-day period for a statutory complaint as per the Army Act is only applicable to men in uniform. They also said the Army chief met Pranab earlier this month also to present his side of the issue.
Sources said the Attorney General also went through the statutory complaint and stated that 1950 will remain as the year of birth. The Attorney General gave the same opinion at least twice in the last seven to eight months and sources said any change in the date of birth now will not be legally tenable.
Antony had informed Monsoon Session of Parliament that Singh’s date of birth as per the Defence Ministry is May 10, 1950 and he will retire after eight months. Singh is scheduled to retire next year and if his date of birth is changed then he gets one more year. Sources said Singh in his letter to Antony said he was raising the issue to uphold his honour and was not interested in seeking any extension of tenure.
The Ministry went through nearly 500 documents supplied by Singh to argue his case that his correct year of birth is 1951 and not 1950 and Defence Minister AK Antony took the final call after taking legal opinion as the Army chief filed the statutory complaint to him, sources said here on Friday.
Meanwhile, Singh met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee here on Friday and later told reporters that he called on the Minister to wish a happy new year. Singh also refuted reports that the Defence Ministry has conveyed the decision to him about the age issue and said he has not got any such indication.
Singh had submitted the statutory complaint to Antony three months ago seeking a decision on age issue. The Army chief earlier this month wrote to Antony to take a decision on the complaint. Singh wrote this letter claiming that a statutory complaint has to be addressed within 90 days.
However, sources said the Defence Minister is not bound by this rule and the 90-day period for a statutory complaint as per the Army Act is only applicable to men in uniform. They also said the Army chief met Pranab earlier this month also to present his side of the issue.
Sources said the Attorney General also went through the statutory complaint and stated that 1950 will remain as the year of birth. The Attorney General gave the same opinion at least twice in the last seven to eight months and sources said any change in the date of birth now will not be legally tenable.
Antony had informed Monsoon Session of Parliament that Singh’s date of birth as per the Defence Ministry is May 10, 1950 and he will retire after eight months. Singh is scheduled to retire next year and if his date of birth is changed then he gets one more year. Sources said Singh in his letter to Antony said he was raising the issue to uphold his honour and was not interested in seeking any extension of tenure.
