Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19

Terming the Army’s policy for promotion of Major Generals to the rank of Lieutenant General as “highly discriminatory and devoid of logic”, the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has ruled that present ‘Two Stream’ policy should be reviewed with an aim to open more promotional avenues at the top echelon.Directing the Defence Ministry to complete the exercise within four months and implement the revised policy preferably before the next Special Selection Board due in October 2017, the AFT observed that the present policy denied Major Generals of the Staff stream a chance to be promoted as Lieutenant Generals in the same stream, thereby creating a class within a class.Under the present system, when Brigadiers are promoted to the rank of Major General, and when Major Generals are promoted to Lieutenant General, they are placed in either ‘Command and Staff’ stream or ‘Staff Only’ stream, depending upon their merit.Those in the Command stream get to hold appointments where they can command field formations comprising combat elements, whereas those in the Staff stream are placed at administrative posts in headquarters or static establishments. The Bench also observed that a third category of Major Generals, Non General Cadre, also existed in some support arms and services.Maj Gen KA Muthanna, an infantry officer of 1978 seniority, had moved the AFT contending that Major Generals from the Staff stream were not considered for promotion to Lieutenant General in the staff stream.The two-stream policy was reintroduced by the Army in 2009 after a gap of 16 years, ostensibly to cater to additional vacancies arising out of the implementation of the AV Singh Committee recommendations on cadre review. It was earlier in vogue from 1986 to 1992.The AFT observed that the Defence Ministry had disagreed with Army Headquarters’ recommendations that Major Generals in the staff stream be made eligible for promotion to Lieutenant General in the same stream on the grounds that lack of command experience would result in dilution of the standards.“We strongly feel that re-introduction of the two-stream policy without taking into consideration the view of the Army who are the main stakeholders and the fact of accrual of 55 additional vacancies from 39 to 94 in the rank of Lt Gen, and not opening the avenues for promotion to one category of Major Generals, is beyond comprehension and appears arbitrary and devoid of logic,” the Bench said.“The time is absolutely ripe to have a fresh look at the impugned policy and open avenues for competent Staff Only Major Generals, who are otherwise being wasted out and de-motivated by totally closing their promotional avenues. Their morale is sapped and if they are not to be considered for promotion, a feeling of indifference and disincentive would set in, which is admittedly not good for the organisation,” the Bench observed.The AFT also ruled that though the petitioner has superannuated he will be given consideration in consonance with new policy and if found fit, will be given consequential benefits.

Centre gets 4 months

• The AFT has told Defence Ministry to implement revised policy within 4 months
• It observed the ‘Two Stream’ policy was “highly discriminatory and devoid of logic”
• The aim, it says, should be to open more promotional avenues at the top echelon