In its dying moments, the UPA II government has appointed Lieutenant General D.S. Suhag as chief-designate to replace the current chief of army staff who is due to relinquish his post at the end of July.

The decision is one of the last major decisions of this government and stands justified on grounds that it is based on the twin traditions of the seniority principle and the need to provide adequate time for overlap for the chief designate to familiarize himself.

To stave off criticism, it has been clarified that the government is legally empowered to take such a decision.

While these are legal arguments in defence of the decision it may be worthwhile looking at them in the wider context of ethics and morality when dealing with the sensitive institution of the armed forces. Read more