Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS) Indian Army Chief General V.K. Singh has filed a statutory complaint with Defence Minister A.K. Antony seeking re-examination of his age issue. The development comes a month after the government declared that the year of his birth was 1950 and not 1951 as he had claimed.

The complaint filed last week under the Army Act makes it mandatory for the government to address the army chief’s grievances within three months, according to defence ministry sources.

Last month, the government ruled that Singh’s date of birth was May 10, 1950 and not May 10, 1951 as he had claimed, citing service records.

The government’s ruling meant that Singh will retire May 31, 2012.

The army chief had sought to correct his date of birth to May 10, 1951, as shown in his annual confidential reports and identity records. If this had been accepted, it would have given him an additional year of service and he would have retired in May 2013.

Singh in his nearly 500-page complaint has substantiated his claim with some relevant documents.

He has enclosed, according to the sources, his application form of the National Defence Academy along with a letter from the Union Public Service Commission asking him to change his date of birth. Singh had in his application claimed that his date of birth was 1951 and not 1950.

The army’s Adjutant General’s Branch, which maintains personnel records, has sought legal basis from the government for Antony’s July 21 ruling.

Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju, queried by journalists about the controversy and the latest development, said: “Where is the controversy? The ministry has looked into the issue and has given an opinion.”

He said the view taken by the ministry was known.