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In a move that has taken forces by surprise, the Government on Sunday, approved a one-month service extension to Indian Army chief Gen Manoj Pande up to 30 June.
Government sources said that the successor of Gen Pande would be appointed by the government to be formed after the results on 4 June. The Army chief was supposed to retire on 31 May after a 25-month tenure. The extension comes at a time when his successor has not yet been appointed.
"The Appointments Committee of Cabinet, on 26 May 2024, approved the extension in service of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj C Pande for a period of one month, beyond his normal age of superannuation (31 May 2024) that is up to 30 June 2024, under Rule 16 A (4) of the Army Rules 1954," Defence Ministry said in a statement.
This is the first such service extension given to any service chief in the last many decades by the government.
Gen Pande was appointed as the Chief of Army Staff on 30 April 2022.
He was commissioned in December 1982 in the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers). He held the appointment of Vice Chief of the Army Staff before taking over as the COAS.
Gen Pande had even received his retirement farewell at the retiring officers' seminar.
The development comes at a time when the two senior officers after him would also be due for superannuation in June itself. (ANI)
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