The decks have been cleared after the government´s decision Thursday to promote Major General Toran Jung Bahadur Singh to the post of Chief of General Staff (CoGS).
Appointment as CoAS is based purely on seniority. It is either the CoGS or the Chief of Staff (CoS) who succeeds to the coveted post of CoAS, depending on seniority. As per seniority, Major General Pawan Jung Thapa should now be promoted to Chief of Staff (CoS). But going by the age factor, Thapa will retire before the end of present army chief Chhatra Man Singh Gurung´s term, thereby leaving the post of CoS open for Rana, unless Thapa gets a term extension.
Major General Thapa is currently stationed in Khartoum as Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).
The CoS will be responsible for looking after the Directorate of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, the Welfare Fund, peacekeeping missions, the peacekeeping training center, army schools all over the country including Birendra Sainik School, and the National Cadet Corps.
After more than six months of controversy, the Nepal government has finally promoted Major General Toran Jung Bahadur Singh to Lieutenant General. Singh will now be second-in-command of the Nepal Army as per seniority. The second-in-command had been held by another controversial general, Kul Bahadur Khadka, who retired in May as chief of staff. The Directorate General of Military Operations, the Directorate General of Military Training and the Directorate of Military Intelligence will now be under his command. However, Singh will not complete his two-year term as he crosses the age limit of 58 years in another 18 months.
As per the Army Act, the chief of army staff can serve for a three-year term, and a lieutenant general can serve for a two-year term but must retire when he completes 58 years of age. Similarly, a major general serves a three-year term with an age limit of 57 years.
akanshya@myrepublica.com
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