KATHMANDU, March 16: Eight generals of Nepal Army are getting automatic retirement from Monday after the government refused to extend their term. [break]
Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has turned down the extension request of Army Headquarters, in an apparent move to let the generals retire from Monday.
Among the brigadier generals getting retirement are Pawan Jung Pande, Narendra Rawal, Kumar Budhathoki, Nara Bahadur Kandel, Pradip Bikram Rana, Raju Pratap KC, Ramesh Bishta and Shiva Poudel.
"The Minister has not taken any extension decision so far," one of Minister Thapa´s assistants in Defense Ministry told myrepublica.com Sunday evening.
Retiring Brigadier General KC is brother-in-law of Army Chief General Rookmangud Katawal and Pande is his closest confidante.
Thapa refused to extend the service term following his serious dispute with Katawal over the recently completed recruitment process in the national army.
As per the new rule introduced during Girija Prasad Koirala´s tenure as a prime minister two years ago, extending term of the army officers up to brigadier general level does not need a cabinet decision.
Extending term of the brigadier general is normal practice in Nepal. The cabinet had extended term of Major General Dipak Gurung a few months ago. Koirala-led government had refused to extend the term of Major General Pradip Pratap Bam Malla, drawing a controversy over government´s prerogatives.
yuvraj@myrepublica.com
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