Gov't, army boss at war over age
Published:Wednesday | January 18, 2012 | 12:00 AM
NEW DELHI (AP):
The Indian government and its army chief are asking the Supreme Court to answer a peculiar question: Just how old is the nation's top soldier?
General Vijay Kumar Singh says he was born in May 1951 and will not reach the mandatory retirement age of 62 until next year. But India's defence ministry says its records show he was born a year earlier and must retire in four months.
The disagreement, the first time a serving general has dragged the government to court, is complicated because Singh's army records and school certificates show different dates. Like many Indians of his generation, Singh has no birth certificate.
Singh filed a Supreme Court petition Monday, challenging the government's assertion that he is 61. Yesterday, the defence ministry asked the court for time to present its own evidence.
Singh took over as army chief nearly two years ago and insists his case is not about getting an extra year in power.