Defence Ministry Widens Scope Of Eligibility For Appointment To Post Of Chief Of Defence Staff

As per the amended regulations, consideration will be given to officers who are serving at a post equivalent to Lieutenant General or General for the appointment of CDS. 

The post of Chief of Defence Staffs is lying vacant after the demise of India's first CDS General Bipin Rawat. (Representational)

Source : Getty Images

New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has issued gazette notifications to amend regulations to three defence forces related to the appointment of Chief of Defence Staff, reported news agency ANI. 

As per the amended regulations, consideration will be given to officers who are serving at a post equivalent to Lieutenant General or General for the appointment of CDS. 

Ministry of Defence issues gazette notifications to amend regulations of 3 defence forces related to appointment of Chief of Defence Staff. For appointing CDS the govt may consider officers who are serving as Lt Gen equivalent or General equivalent ...(1/2) pic.twitter.com/3leGJB4SD4

— ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2022

Officers who have retired in the rank of Lt Gen or Gen but have not attained the age of 62 years on the date of appointment will also be considered for appointment of CDS. 

...or officers who have retired in the rank of Lt Gen or Gen but have not attained the age of 62 years on the date of appointment (2/2) pic.twitter.com/tP8hn8xaTh

— ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2022

This move will pave the way for appointment of new Chief of Defence Staff in India as the post has been lying vacant after the first CDS of the country General Bipin Rawat passed away in a helicopter crash in December last year.

General Bipin Rawat, along with his wife Madhulika Rawat and eleven others on board were killed after the military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu. 

In a separate notification issued on Monday, as a part of the Air Force Act, the Army Act and the Navy Act, the government made  provisions to make any serving or retired Lt General, Air Marshal or Vice Admiral eligible to be appointed as the CDS.

"The Central Government may, if considered necessary, in the public interest, so to do, appoint as Chief of Defence Staff, an officer who is serving as Air Marshal or Air Chief Marshal or an officer who has retired in the rank of Air Marshal or Air Chief Marshal but has not attained the age of 62 years on the date of his appointment," the notification issued under the Air Force Act 1950 said.