Vice Admiral Bimal Verma is likely to file a fresh petition at a military tribunal here on Tuesday challenging a note by the Defence Ministry rejecting his plea against appointment of Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the next Navy Chief.
Last week, the Defence Ministry rejected Verma's petition challenging the appointment of his junior, Vice Admiral Singh, as the next Navy Chief.
Verma's lawyer Ankur Chhibber said a fresh petition challenging Vice Admiral Singh's appoitment as well as the defence ministry's note will be filed with the Armed Forces Tribunal here on Tuesday.
Chhibber said a previous petition filed with the AFT on the issue was withdrawn on Monday for filing of a detailed plea which will also challenge the defence ministry's rejection of Verma's plea.
In an order last week, the defence ministry said Verma's statutory petition dated April 10 against appointment of Vice Admiral Singh to the top post is devoid of merit and has been rejected in exercise of powers under Section 23 of the Navy Act 1957.
Verma, commander-in-chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command and senior-most naval commander, had moved the tribunal last month questioning Vice Admiral Singh's appointment as the next Navy Chief, overlooking his seniority. Singh is scheduled to take charge as the new Navy chief from incumbent Admiral Sunil Lanba, who will demit office on May 31. The tribunal had on April 25 directed the defence ministry to decide Verma's petition within three weeks.