Common law for all three defence services drafted

3 May 2010 Statesman News Service
New Delhi, 3 May: The government today said it has prepared a draft common law applicable to all three defence forces to ensure coordination in operations and functions and its enactment was under the active consideration of the defence ministry.
In a statement laid on the table of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, defence minister Mr AK Antony said the work on the common law, to be called the Tri Service Act, had begun in 2002 and the draft submitted to the ministry after approval from the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) in August 2009.
The Tri Service Act was “under consideration in consultation with the three services,” Mr Antony said on the status of implementation of recommendations contained in the Parliamentary Standing Committee report on Unified Command for Armed Forces submitted to the Lok Sabha in February 2009.
With regard to the creation of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), as recommended by the Kargil Review Committee (KRC), the Minister said the proposal was “under examination”, though the institutional support and infrastructure had already been created in the form of the Integrated Defence Staff Headquarters to support the CDS, whenever created.
He said the case for finding consensus on appointment of CDS, as suggested by the KRC, had been taken up with political parties, but a number of them were yet to respond.
On setting up of Indian National Defence University, the minister said the draft cabinet note, after inter-ministerial consultation, had been submitted for approval of competent authority.
He also said that the process of internal review of security threats and challenges and restructuring of the IDS headquarters had been completed, and the case for external review through a high-powered expert committee was under examination and approval of COSC Chairman.
Gratuity ceiling Bill
A Bill to raise the ceiling of gratuity for employees to Rs 10 lakh from Rs 3.5 lakh was passed by the Lok Sabha without discussion today.
Common law for all three defence services drafted