Serving officers may have to give undertaking for their behaviour post-retirement 

Faced with criticism and outcry by veterans about various issues like withdrawing income tax exemption on disability pension, opening up of cantonment roads, and “One Rank One Pension (OROP),” the Army is mulling a code of conduct for them.

The controversial move comes at a time when the ex-servicemen have vocally raised their grievances in the media, leaving the Services embarrassed. Besides issues like withdrawing the income tax exemption on disability pension, veterans in the recent past also criticised the move to do away with providing scholarships to the wards of serving personnel, especially gallantry medal winners. The vociferous protest ultimately forced the Government to restore the provisions.

As regards the proposal, sources said all serving officers will have to give an undertaking on retirement that they will adhere to a code of conduct or ethics after their superannuation.

Those violating the proposed code of conduct will invite punishment or not is yet to be firmed up. At present, the Army Act covers only the officers serving in the force and not the veterans. Once they hang their boots, ex-servicemen are covered by the normal law of the land like Indian Penal Code, sources said.

Trying to justify the code of conduct, sources said the need for it was felt after some retired officers gave comments on the social media thereby giving adverse publicity to the Army.

They also said consultations were on with the serving officers regarding such a code of conduct and at a later stage the views of the ex-servicemen will be elicited.

They also tried to back their point of view about the code of conduct by saying that an officer once retired keeps his last rank and it is anticipated that they will abide by the proposed order. 

In fact, former Adjutant General Ashwani Kumar, who retired last week, said the discussions are in an advanced stage.  Kumar also said since it is a tri-service issue, the recommendations would go through various tri-service committees as well. The Adjutant General is responsible for maintaining discipline in the force and look after issues like pension, medical facilities and welfare measures.

The veterans termed the proposal silly and encroaching on democratic rights, an open letter written by them was also in circulation on many social media questioning the proposed gag order planned by the Army Headquarters.