New Delhi, July 29: The government today announced appointments at the top of the defence establishment even as a spat between the uniformed services and the bureaucracy stalled the naming of a new head of operations for the Indian Air Force.

Defence production secretary Shekhar Dutt has been appointed secretary in the ministry of defence. Dhanendra Kumar, currently with the transport ministry, has been asked to take charge as secretary for defence production.

However, Air headquarters has decided to keep offices open over the weekend in anticipation of the government naming a new vice-chief of air staff after Air Marshal S.K. Malik effectively retired today without being able to hand over charge. Air Marshal Malik is due to retire on July 31 ? a Sunday. Today was his last working day.

The vice-chief of air staff is responsible for air defence and offensive air operations, air intelligence, helicopter operations, transport aircraft and strategic doctrine.

A shortlist of three officers for the post was sent to the Cabinet Committee of Appointments more than a month ago. However, no one has yet been named. Normally, it takes about a fortnight to brief the officer who is to take over in the crucial post. This has not been possible.

No reason was specified for the delay in naming the new vice-chief, but it is understood that sections of the bureaucracy were miffed that Air headquarters sent its recommendations directly to defence minister Pranab Mukherjee, bypassing the officials.

That the appointments committee has not found the time to meet does not wash as a reason because it has found time to name the defence secretary and the defence production secretary.

The air marshals recommended in the shortlist sent to the appointments committee are understood to be S.K. Jain, Bhojnani and Ajit Bhavnani. By convention, the vice-chief of air staff is expected to have a tenure of at least a year in the chair and must have had experience at the head of one of the commands.

If convention is followed, Bhavnani is tipped to occupy the office. But the seniormost air marshal is Bhojnani, who is scheduled to retire in January 2006, followed by Jain, due to retire in February 2006. Air marshals retire at the age of 60 years.

Dutt, who has been appointed defence secretary, is an IAS officer of the 1969 batch, Madhya Pradesh cadre. He has served in the army and was awarded the Sena medal for his role in the western sector in 1971.