HC directive to Naval authorities

Mumbai, Nov 24 (UNI) The Bombay High Court has directed the Naval forces to file a reply by November 29 submitting details of the number of Commanders (timescale and selection) as on record on March 11 last year.

A division bench comprising Justices F I Rebeillo and Anup Mohta directed the Naval forces to furnish details about the number of vacancies for the post of Captains as on the same date.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Commander (timescale) Ravindra Kshirsagar submitting that on March 11, 2005, the Government of India had issued a letter to the armed forces to accept the recommendation for promotions by the Ajai Vikram Singh Committee including Army, Navy and Air Force, which was not accepted in complete terms as prescribed by the Naval forces.

According to the recommendations, Lieutenant Colonels (timescale) who had completed 26 years in the Army service should be promoted to Colonel (timescale). All the Wing Commanders (timescale) completing the said period of 26 years in the Air Force had to be promoted to rank of Group Captain (timescale) and Commanders (timescale) in the Navy to be promoted to Captain (timescale).

Petitioners' counsels Satyendra Kumar and Shyam Mehta submitted that the Army and Air Force had in one stroke promoted its officers with effect from December 16, 2004. However, the Naval Forces stipulated certain conditions in connection with promotion of Commanders to the rank of Captain (timescale). Their contention was that Commanders (timescale) would be promoted as Captain (timescale) only after all the selected Acting Commanders were promoted to the Captain's post or they retired.

They further contended that the letter from Centre provided that all Commanders (timescale) and Lt Commanders who had been superseded would be eligible.

Also, most officers would not gain from the said policy as by the time the selected list was promoted, the timescale potentials would retire. The Navy's action was hence unreasonable and discriminatory, they told the court.

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