Congress plays safe on Army chief age row

New Delhi: A day after Army Chief General VK Singh won the first round against the Government on his age row, the Government walked the safe line, remaining cautious and refraining from commenting on the issue. Congress troubleshooter and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee refused to discuss details of his meeting with General Singh on Thursday evening.

Mukherjee did not comment on the SC order which pulled up the Government on Friday for seeking advice from the Attorney General twice.

"I am not going to discuss this with the media... he (General VK Singh) met me as Chief of Army Staff, as several persons meet me... but what transpired between me and him, it is confidential and not for your information," he said.

The apex court on Friday criticised the Government's handling of the controversy while directing the Attorney General of India to take instructions from the Government on the December 30, 2011 order which fixed General Singh's date of birth as May 10, 1950. The court pointed out that there was no independent evaluation of General Singh's complaint.

The apex court said that the December 30 order relied on Attorney General Vahanvati's opinion given to the government and hence was not correct.

"We are of the prima facie view that decision making process of the government in disposing off General VK Singh's statutory complaint is vitiated. It seems that going to the Armed Forces Tribunal for the General may not be efficacious," the bench of Justices RM Lodha and HL Gokhale observed while pointing out that principles of natural justice were not followed in the matter.

Observing that the July 21 order was made on the opinion of the Attorney General and the December 30 opinion was again made on the opinion of the Attorney General, the Supreme Court said that this was against the principle of natural justice because the government had again sought the opinion of the person who was committed to one particular opinion.

The Supreme Court started by putting basic objections to the government on the stand that on July 21, 2011, it had determined General Singh's date of birth and on that order of the government, the General filed a statutory complaint and again, another order was passed on December 30, 2011.

The Supreme Court also questioned the manner in which his complaint was rejected by the Defence Ministry.

Defence Minister AK Antony, however, told the media to be patient.

"Please be patient. The matter is in front of the Supreme Court."