At a press briefing held at Army Headquarters, NA officers said that the fast-track promotion of the lieutenant colonels was in accordance with the Army Service Rules, 2013. [break]
NA Headquarters has clarified the issue of fast-track promotions 10 days after eight NA officers knocked the doors of the Supreme Court.
However, the officers at the press briefing said they were unaware of the disgruntled lieutenant colonels approaching the SC. Major General Nirendra Prasad Aryal said, "Though it is one´s fundamental right to approach the courts for justice, we are not formally notified about the eight lieutenant colonels going to the SC."
A writ petition filed at the SC last Sunday against the decision of the NA, argued that the provision on fast-track promotion was illogical, unscientific and treated equals unequally.
The writ petitioners stated that the new provision was against the existing laws, the order of precedence and operational laws, and claimed that many of the officers recommended for promotion were junior to the petitioners.
"The 16 contenders were recommended on the basis of the marks they obtained during various phases of their service in the NA. The lieutenant-colonels were categorezed into three groups-- excellent, very good and good--on the basis of the marks they obtained," said Brigadier General Gyanendra Jung Rayamajhi.
According to the new provision, 20 percent of the vacant posts are filled by those in the ´excellent´ category, 60 percent by those in the ´very good´ category and the remaining 20 percent by those in the ´good´ category, Rayamajhi said.
However, Brigadier General Suresh Sharma, who is also NA spokesperson, said, "There might be some limitations in the marking system that need timely review but the new policy on promotions is more logical in comparison to the earlier one." And it is obvious many contenders will fall into a bottle neck situation, he said adding, as a result dissatisfied officials end up complaining over the decisions of the promotion board.
To a journalist´s query about the new rules that give no power to the Defense Ministry in transfers and promotions of officers, he said the government decided on the provision, so there was no point blaming the NA in this regard.
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