KATHMANDU, Nov 24: The Nepalese Army (NA) has recommended Major General Ashok Raj Sigdel for promotion to the position of lieutenant general. The Promotion Committee meeting of the NA, held on Friday, decided to recommend Sigdel for the post.

With the promotion recommendation, Sigdel is widely considered the potential new chief of the national army after the incumbent Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Prabhu Ram Sharma, retires next year. CoAS Sharma is set to retire on September 9, 2024, completing his three-year tenure.

Previously, the NA had recommended Tara Dhwaj Pandey for promotion to the post of lieutenant general following the retirement of three-star general Saroj Pratap Rana, who served as Chief of General Staff (CGS). However, Pandey voluntarily stepped down amid controversy over his date of birth, leaving the position vacant.

A complaint was filed against Pandey with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), raising concerns over his date of birth. The CIAA then sent a letter to the Ministry of Defense regarding the matter, further complicating the promotion process.

The NA's recommendation for Sigdel's promotion to the post of lieutenant general was followed by complaints filed against him at the CIAA by his rivals within the organization. NA sources indicate that conspiracies are being hatched against senior officials in line for top leadership roles in the national army, potentially undermining the institution as a whole.

Sources suggested that the decision for the promotion recommendation was made even before the anti-graft body could send a letter regarding Sigdel to the army through the defense ministry.

The Promotion Committee led by Lieutenant General Sita Ram Khadka, in its notice, has invited complaints from those dissatisfied with Sigdel’s promotion within seven days, requiring clear and objective grounds along with full identity. The notice ensures the confidentiality of the person filing the complaint as per the Military Act.

In anticipation of potential challenges to the Promotion Committee's decision at the CIAA, defense ministry or parliamentary committees, the NA's notice explicitly states that complaints filed without the real identity of the persons at any other government body other than the Office of the Military Secretary will not be entertained.

Following his promotion to lieutenant general next week, Sigdel is expected to assume the position of Chief of Staff, while Khadka, the current Chief of Staff, will take on the role of Chief of General Staff which is the second-in-command within the army. However, Khadka is set to retire from military service on January 6, 2024.

Army sources said that necessary preparations have already been made to recommend the name of Major General Nirmal Thapa, currently serving as the Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observation Force (UNDOF) in Syria, for promotion to the post of lieutenant general. He will then serve as Chief of Staff, while Sigdel will assume the role as Chief of General Staff within the army.

 
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