Dalbir Singh appointed Eastern Commander

The elevation has now cleared the way for his appointment as the next Army Chief after Gen Bikram Singh retires from service in 2014. This is the second time that the ACC has cleared his name for the post. The earlier clearance given in May was held back by the Defence Ministry as the Army had imposed the DV ban on the order of Gen V K Singh.

Sources said the officer will shortly assume formal charge of the command,which has already produced two consecutive Army Chiefs Gen V K Singh and Gen Bikram Singh. The post of Eastern Army Commander had been lying vacant since the beginning of this month due to the DV ban on Lt Gen Dalbir Singh.

As reported,the ban was put after the then Army Chief Gen V K Singh issued a show-cause notice to the officer,alleging inaction in the handling of a probe into a botched up intelligence operation under his command.

However,his successor Gen Bikram Singh,who took over on May 31,overturned the ban after a satisfactory reply to the notice by Lt Gen Dalbir Singh.