By IANS,
New Delhi : After many twists and turns, the curtains came down Friday on the festering row over Indian Army chief V.K. Singh’s age, with the Supreme Court ruling that he was born on May 10, 1950 and not a year later as he claimed. Here’s a timeline:
* 1965: Teenager V.K. Singh’s UPSC form for the National Defence Academy examination mentions May 10, 1950 as his birth date.
* 1970: Singh is commissioned into the Indian Army’s Rajput Regiment as a second lieutenant. Adjutant General’s branch records the birth date as May 10, 1951 on the basis of school certificate.
* 2006: Age row brought up by army’s Military Secretary’s branch on the basis of the UPSC form as he is selected for promotion as Corps Commander in the rank of Lt. Gen.; undertakes to accept any decision on his age by then army chief Gen. J.J. Singh in “organisational interest”.
* 2008: Age records go to Cabinet Committee on Appointments for his promotion to Army Commander; Prior to that, the Military Secretary warns of disciplinary action if 1950 not accepted as year of birth; Singh agrees on 1950 in writing.
* Jan 2010: Appointed as Indian Army chief based on 1950 as year of birth; retirement set for May 2012.
* April 2010: Takes over as Army chief on Gen. Deepak Kapoor’s retirement.
* July 2011: Singh’s petition to restore 1951 as year of birth rejected by defence ministry on advocate general’s advice.
* Dec 30, 2011: Singh’s statutory complaint too rejected by defence ministry on advocate general’s advice.
* Jan 16, 2012: Singh files petition in Supreme Court against age plea rejections.
* Feb 3, 2012: Supreme Court raps defence ministry; asks it to withdraw Dec 30, 2011 order or it will be quashed.
* Feb 10, 2012: Singh withdraws petition in Supreme Court after he is asked to do so by the judges.