Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Supreme Court nixes army chief age plea

    IANS India Private Limited – Fri 10 Feb, 2012

    New Delhi: In a major blow to Indian Army chief General V.K. Singh, the Supreme Court Friday refused to entertain his plea challenging a government order setting his birth date as May 10, 1950 and said it will be forced to dump it if he did not withdraw it.

    The court order has left Gen. Singh with little option over his dragging contention that he was actually born on May 10, 1951 – not 1950 – and that the issue concerned his “honour and integrity”.

    Hearing his petition at the admission stage, the apex court also asked the army chief to honour his letters of 2008 and 2009 accepting 1950 as his birth year.

    It noted that the government order recognising his birth year as 1950 does not suffer from perversity and was not grossly erroneous.

    It pointed out that some “threshold” documents Gen. Singh had submitted to the government too maintained that he was born in 1950.

    The documents relate to the records of the Union Public Service Commission, the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy.

    The court said there was no prejudice vis-a-vis Gen. Singh and that the government had full faith in him.

    Earlier in the day, the government told the court that it had withdrawn a Dec 30, 2011 order rejecting Gen. Singh’s plea to reconcile his birth date to May 10, 1950 — which prompted him to move the court.

    Attorney General G.E. Vahanvati told the court that the government had acted in response to a Feb 3 apex court querry whether it was willing to withdraw the order.

    The court had then said that the Dec 30, 2011 order was “vitiated” by opinion given by Vahanvati in July 2011 that led the government to reject the army chief’s request on his age.

    While the army chief maintains that he was born in 1951, the government insists he was born a year earlier.

    The discrepancy was pointed out by the Military Secretary’s branch in 2006 when Gen. Singh was being considered for promotion as corps commander.

    Since then, all his promotions, including as army commander in 2008 and army chief in 2010, were made on the basis that he was born in 1950.

    If 1950 is taken as Gen. Singh’s year of birth, he would have to retire in May. If the year is taken as 1951, he would retire in March 2013.
     
    • arvind
      arvind  •  Surat, Gujarat  •  3 months ago
      We expect armed forces to help citizen of India from internal threat by self centered and failed civil system. What for we are waiting.Presently system is collapsed. PM of this country appoint corrupt person Thomas as Chief vigilance Commissioner. why not case PM should be in court like Gilani and should have been behind Bars
    • bp
      bp  •  Bangalore, Karnataka  •  3 months ago
      feel sorry for the nation where a gentleman and an officer who has given more than 4 decades of his life to the nation does not get a fair trial......shame on our judiciary and government and all the very best to the GENERAL........
    • sujit
      sujit  •  Kolkata, West Bengal  •  3 months ago
      PERSONALY I KNOW HIM
      WE R PROUD OF HIM
    • EnfiladeFire
      EnfiladeFire  •  Bangalore, Karnataka  •  3 months ago
      Dear All, Please do not come to abrupt conclusions. The SC maybe the final authority, however in this context they have completely erred. The Chief's promotion with respect to either 1950 as the DoB or 1951 DoB has no reflections on his promotion as Corps Commander and then on COAS. According to seniority, every year in Army 2 courses passout which means, that one year correction as the officer moves up will not make a difference. The Matriculation and Tenth Standard certificate is a solumn proof of age and even SC need to abide by it. There has been a complete mess of justice done in India in this regard and it is saddening to see that a High Rank Honest Officer could face such a trauma, cannot imagine what will be the state of the 'Common Man'...Jai Hind
      • saurabh
        saurabh 3 months ago
        The DoB has reflection on the promotion, as the Army chief wrote the letter in 2008 and 2009 insisting that his DoB be considered as 1950, and consequently got promotion ( over other officers who were younger, but at the same position).
      • A Yahoo! User 3 months ago
        Why the general did not try to rectify his date of birth for decades? He remembered it only when he was due for RETIRMENT? For getting the promotion earlier he gave the undertakings that his date of birth is considered to be as 1950 resulting in promotion (over other officers who were younger, but at the same position). Can it is expected from a person who is heading such a glorious institution Like ARMY? Whatever the clothing is given to justify this UN -selfish act of protecting once honour and integrity? Whose motto is others before the self?
      • You
        You 3 months ago
        This is the most 3 rated news item that can be ever imagined.
        Surely, this is being so much importance so that other major topics like corruption and scam can be hidden and forgetten.
        It is a shame on us that we can allow media to let play fun on us and keep our mouth shut.
        Can there be a bigger joke than this topic and letting it go without knowing the real drama being played as per script between Govt and this army personnel.
    • kunal
      kunal  •  3 months ago
      well since the govt has withdrawn its order hence court has issued this verdict....or else i guess verdict could have been different
    • CK
      CK  •  3 months ago
      Pl retire gracefully Mr. Singh.
    • arvind
      arvind  •  Surat, Gujarat  •  3 months ago
      Three chief has to decide no outside interference will be tolerated.after all we are also part of system.
    • arvind
      arvind  •  Surat, Gujarat  •  3 months ago
      armed forces of India loosing reputation because shoe licking officer reaching at top level, now they have to suffer. Armed forces is great institute no political interference should be tolerated. Interference to promotion policy has to like judicial system interference by politician is illegal and harmful to country because Govt is working in selfish motive and interest of country is at last
    • dipak
      dipak  •  Kolkata, West Bengal  •  3 months ago
      To be elected democraticalyy too, the Govt has to follow some rules & laws. Hence none of their actions can be unstipulated & beyond a frame work of some rules / terms & conditions. Be it appointment of chiefs of armed forcces or any other appointments this formula holds good since they are as much a Citizen of this country as any one else is. Fact remains, The Apex Court did not allow the truth to prevail & allowed the Govt(a group of notoriously corrpts) to ask AG's Branch to enter the wrong date of birth in all documents & thereby insulted the Constitution of India. People have no reason to have faith in this Judiciary which acts to up hold the interest/ego of a bunch of proven corrupts, living freely in this country.
      Is atmosphere of British Raj,really, changed??!!
    • FUNK
      FUNK  •  3 months ago
      During the war send these judges to the front to fight it out AhAHAH!
      • saurabh
        saurabh 3 months ago
        And the Army would handle the domestic affairs? Why the Army is formed?
      • arun
        arun 3 months ago
        Army and forces can handle all thge affairs u pussy. let us give a chance or we will grab it .
      • N
        N 3 months ago
        The one down for Arun's comment is me. It was accidental. I totally agree with u. and to add to saurabh's comment ... send all the politicians to the war.
    • zenil
      zenil  •  Bangalore, Karnataka  •  3 months ago
      As a NSG commando and an EX-Airforce person I feel my heart out for the General.A soldier who fights the enemies of the Country is stripped by his own people is ridiculous.This sends a wrong signal ,If matriculation certificate is the document accepted by law why does the Honorable Supreme court gives verdict against that law....And to ask a few more questions ...While politicians can serve up to death any no of times holding the PORTFOLIOS AND CHAIRS,Why the Judiciary is not taking steps to create a fair system...? Or is it that ruling party sketches the story and the summary...?Any way this will create lot of repurcations in the future.......But we soldiers salute you Brave GENERAL...."THE BRAVE SONS OF MOTHERLAND DIE ONLY ONE DEATH " JAIHIND
      • Narayanan
        Narayanan 3 months ago
        Divakara enu maduthenu,emi ....The Gen ishappy to go by 1950 when he admitted
        and got promotions and not happy in the case of retirement. Why. After having
        agreed to 1950 as DOB why he chose to go to Court and u are telling the SC is
        wrong. Why the GEn did not change DOB earlier and only close to retirement.
        What happens if he is given until 2013 MAY. Will it affect others or not.
        The Gen is blot on our Army. He should step down immediately for having
        tried to fool the Govt...or else he should be sacked. Nothing has happened
        to the Army because of the Defence Ministry refusing to accept General version.
        It is one man's case and the Army Presrtige and Morale in no way is tarnished.
        If anything the Gen is disgraced.
      • abc
        abc 3 months ago
        I am with Narayan as the army chief has given in writing that his date of birth is 50 .I am ammused that he has given this under duress.A person is equaly chargeable for the work done in duress and who forced to do this.How a man of the stature can surrender to his juniors and what we expect of him to protect the country who cannot protect himself.He had degraded himself.
      • zenil
        zenil 3 months ago
        I am wondering why does our people takes a hard stance against an Army chief,why don't you guys react with the same zest to other corrupt politicians ,judiciary people and beurocracy......and lastly the great policemen who loots you openly.....I would ask you all people to spent one year in MILITARY SERVICE and then PELT STONES ........how many will volunteer.....THE FACT IS THAT YOU DONT HAVE THE GUTS TO QUESTION ALL THESE THUGS ....AND AS THIS MILITARY PEOPLE ARE SAFE GUARDING YOU UNSELFISHLY YOU ALL ARE AGAINST THEM .....DO YOU REACT AGINST A POLITICIAN ,YOU ALL KNOW YOU WILL LAND UP IN SOUP...... BUNCH OF HYPOCRATES.Remember ....when there is a threat from inside or outside only our MILITARY IS GOING TO SAVE YOU......and before judging the chief of the worlds 3rd largest ARMY PLEASE INTROSPECT YOURSELF.
    • avtar
      avtar  •  3 months ago
      It is sad that despite unambiguous documentry evidence of date of birth of Army Chief as 10 May 1951 & not 10 May 1950; fair justice appears to have been denied. It is more of a replica of political dicision. Earlier Gen Singh has been denied fair justice inhouse also; so what else the people at the lower rung can expect from the system.
      • ani_sh26
        ani_sh26 3 months ago
        the point is not when he was born. the point is what he has disclosed as his date of birth to the government. if anything, he got away without been convicted for fraud for disclosing a wrong date of birth, presumably to get promotions.
      • saurabh
        saurabh 3 months ago
        @Ani_sh26 Not presumably! it is obvious, and once he became chief he wanted to be there longer and suddenly found that he was born a year later! and it was related to his dignity!!! the country is full of such people but we expect that people on such position would REALLY maintain their DIGNITY
      • sanjiv k
        sanjiv k 3 months ago
        if he was born in 1951 he would not have been in NDA and a officer in the army thru the exam NDA as he would be intelligible to appear in that particular esxam being underage so he should be court martial-led and given treatment like that to the naval chief earlier for fraudulent manipulation of his age for seeking entry in the NDA
    • Divakara
      Divakara  •  Mumbai, Maharashtra  •  3 months ago
      Indian courts have become a liability for law abiding citizens, helpless like poor, females, dalits and other deprived! India is 132 in the world for doing business due to these corrupt courts.
      • NAKKEERAN
        NAKKEERAN 3 months ago
        yes you are right they one day vomit another day lick it
    • comp
      comp  •  Kolkata, West Bengal  •  3 months ago
      such thngs only happen in india only
    • COMMODORE NM PANDIT(RTD)
      COMMODORE NM PANDIT(RTD)  •  Pune, Maharashtra  •  3 months ago
      A shameful day for SC !! I firmly believed that SC was not hand in glove with the government of the day but have been proved wrong!! Judiciary has also towed the official line and not gone by law. Date of birth of General can be only one and birth facts are eternal.SC has further widened the divide between military and civil. This is bad for our democracy. A Manecshaw type or MUSHARAF TYPE General can teach the present Indian politicians a lesson?
    • S.C.
      S.C.  •  New Delhi, Delhi  •  3 months ago
      Very sad the documentary evidence has been ignored. What faith will people have in pre requisites set forth by Govt. on various issues of day to day life
    • Neville
      Neville  •  Pune, Maharashtra  •  3 months ago
      The governement's actions, most of the time, are unjust. But, in this case they seem to have acted correctly. If the general has agreed to his year of birth to be 1950 at some points of time, through the impression that it did not matter, yet he has erred. One cannot assert something at one place and something else again at another. He must resign and fade away as old soldiers must.
    • sugunakumar samuelraj
      sugunakumar samuelraj  •  Chicago, United States  •  3 months ago
      Fired by personal agenda, the General disregarding the disservice he was inflicting on the country charged blindly on, only to fall to sorry depths. What can you expect from a person who became the COAS by accident !. From Day 1 he was trying to prove the incompetant Judgement of the MOD in making him the Chief. The Discipline in the Army has plunged to a new low during the last 2 years,as after all ,discipline flows from above and not from below to the top. A historic General.
    • Jai
      Jai  •  3 months ago
      Is age is meant for service people and what about age bar for Politicians.
    • Labonyo
      Labonyo  •  3 months ago
      It is astonishing, how the matter went upto SC ?As per article 308/309 of Indian constitution regarding service matters, the Govt should act as per SR/FR. Every employee has got his service book, wherein the age proof is pasted and the incumbent should sign each and every insertion in the said Service book.Normally, age proof accepted are- Birth Certificate or Matriculation certificate.The matter can be resolved by the authority who maintains the Service book. The employee should know that the Govt. is empowered with "Force Retirement". So, it will be better for the employee concerned (may be Army Chief or whoever else) to obey the Govt. orders based on his Service Book, else he can apply for service extension. Ignorant people are un-necessarily blaming Govt. and Honbl' Judges.
     Post a comment

    Featured Photos And Videos

    1 - 4 of 4
    prevnext

    Follow Us on Facebook

    Loading...