Amid the ongoing general elections in India, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has extended the tenure of the country's army chief General Manoj Pande for a period of one month.
The Indian army chief was due to retire from service on May 31, according to indian express.
“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on May 26 approved the extension in service of the Chief of Army Staff, General Manoj C Pande, for a period of one month, beyond his normal retirement age (May 31). , i.e. until June 30, as per rule 16 A (4) of the Army Regulations, 1954,” the publication quoted the Ministry of Defense in a statement.
The top Indian general was appointed in December 1982 in the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers).
He served as Vice Chief of the Army Staff before taking the reins of the 1.2 million-strong force in April 2022.
The development comes as India holds elections in phases that began on April 19 and will conclude on June 1, with the results to be published on June 4.
Indian Prime Minister Modi faced voter fatigue and some resistance from a resurgent opposition in the mammoth general election. Reuters reported citing insiders.
They said foot soldiers from their party's Hindu nationalist parent have intervened to help regain momentum.
Voter turnout so far has been lower than in previous elections, raising concerns within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that some of its core supporters are staying away.
Modi's party, seeking a rare third term, has also faced stronger-than-expected opposition in a handful of states, prompting top election experts and Indian financial markets to adjust forecasts for a landslide victory.
Since exit polls are not allowed until all voting is completed on June 1, it is difficult to judge how well or poorly the candidates are doing. But most analysts say Modi should be able to retain a majority in the 543-seat parliament when votes are counted on June 4.
– With contributions from Reuters
