New Delhi: The Defence Ministry has sent across the name of Lt-Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag as the next Army Chief for approval to the appointments committee of the cabinet hours after getting a clearance from the election commission for the process.
The name of the senior most three-star General, who by precedence was the front runner for the post, is likely to be cleared by ACC in a day or two.
A formal announcement of the new chief may however be made by June 1, two months before outgoing chief Gen Bikram Singh retires.
The appointment of a service chief has for the first time courted such controversy after BJP objected to the selection process.
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission gave a go-ahead to the Defence Ministry to initiate the process of appointing the next Army chief, an issue that has got caught in a controversy because of BJP’s opposition.
Traditionally, the appointment of chief of services is made two months before the retirement of the incumbent. However, in the case of Gen Bikram Singh, the appointment was done three months before the retirement of Gen V K Singh, who was engaged in a long—drawn battle with the government over his age issue.