NEW DELHI: Defending the selection of General Bipin Rawat for the post of Army Chief superseding two senior officers including Lt General Praveen Bakshi and Lt General P M Hariz, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said due procedures were "perfectly followed" by the government.
He also said seniority was not the only criteria in the procedures to select Army Chief adding if seniority was the principle, then a computer could have selected Service chiefs based on date of birth.
Moreover, there would not have been need of any due process or Cabinet Committee of Appointment if seniority alone was the criterion, he said.
“First of all I'm not aware of any seniority rules in selection. All candidates were equally good which led to delay in selection. Nowhere in the procedure mentions seniority as final norm. I can say that government has not violated any norms." Parrikar said on selection of Bipin Rawat over two senior army officers.
"If only date of birth is considered for selection, then a computer can do it. No need for cabinet committee on appointment. Decision was taken with due diligence after taking reports and inputs from various stakeholders like report from Intelligence Bureau," Parrikar further said.
On December 17, a day after winter session of parliament, government announced name of Lt Gen Bipin Rawat as the next Army Chief to replay Dalbir Suhag who was completing his tenure on December 31. Rawat was selected by ignoring two army officers vis Eastern Army Commander Lt. Gen Praveen Bakshi and southern army commander Lt Gen PM Hariz. . Last time government ignored the senior principle was in 1983, when Lt. Gen SK Sinha was ignored over Lt. Gen AS Vaidya, which led to resignation of Lt. Gen Sinha .