Gen Bikram Singh

New Delhi, Aug. 24: The defence ministry is considering a proposal from the army chief, General Bikram Singh, to shuffle the top brass, including his principal staff officers (PSOs).

In preparation for the shuffle, the government today appointed Lt Gen. Ranbir Singh as director-general, Assam Rifles, on deputation to the home ministry. The DG (Assam Rifles) is not a PSO. Lt Gen. Singh will be headquartered in Shillong.

A select band of officers who occupy crucial positions in army headquarters and assist the chief in day-to-day functions are recognised as PSOs. Among them, apart from the vice-chief, are the director-general of military operations (DGMO), director general of military intelligence, military secretary and the adjutant general.

Lt Gen. Ranbir Singh was commissioned in 1975 in the Bihar regiment. In a career of 37 years he has commanded an infantry battalion in Jammu and Kashmir, a mountain brigade in Sikkim and an infantry division at Meerut. He has also been major general, general staff, at the Eastern Command headquarters in Fort William, Calcutta, and has been defence attache at the Indian embassy in Beijing.

Gen. Bikram Singh, who took over as the chief of army staff nearly three months ago, is understood to have asked for permission to form his own team. So far he is continuing with a team that was appointed by his predecessor, Gen. (retired) V.K. Singh.

The proposal to shuffle the top brass would need a nod from the appointments committee of the cabinet. Ironically, Gen. V.K. Singh had also sought to change the PSOs when he assumed office. The PSOs then were appointed by his predecessor, Gen. (retired) Deepak Kapoor. But the government had denied permission to Gen. V.K. Singh who had to wait till nearly all the officers retired before he could bring in his own men.

Sources in the army say Lt Gen. A.K. Choudhary, the current DGMO, may be moved out and replaced by Lt. Gen. Vinod Bhatia, now the director-general (infantry).

If Choudhary, who may be posted to the Bengal area, is moved out, it would be a rare instance of a PSO being transferred to a less important position. It translates into a loss of prestige even if it does not mean a loss of rank.

But one source said Choudhary had asked for relief on medical grounds for an assignment that was not as taxing as the DGMO’s.

Lt Gen. Ranbir Singh takes over as the director-general of Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force under the home ministry but officered by the army, after nearly a year during which the post was vacant. Singh is currently with the strategic forces command.

The post has been vacant since Lt Gen. Rameshwar Roy was recalled during Gen. V.K. Singh’s tenure. An earlier proposal to appoint Choudhary (the DGMO) as the DG (AR) was not accepted by the government.

Among other new appointments is the possibility that Lt Gen. J.S. Bajwa will take over as the DG infantry. Lt Gen. Bajwa is now the commandant, Infantry School, Mhow.

Bhatia, Bajwa and Ranbir Singh had also served under Gen. Bikram Singh when he was the eastern army commander based in Fort William, Calcutta, before taking over as the army chief.