New Delhi, The rules for appointment to the post of the Chief of Defence Staff, vacant since the demise of General Bipin Rawat, have been amended to make army officers of the rank of Lt General and above, and their equivalents in the Navy and the Air Force, serving or retired, eligible for the role, so long they have not crossed a particular age.

A government notification, issued by the Defence Ministry, says the Central government, in exercise of powers conferred by the appropriate sections of the the Army Act, 1950, the Navy Act, 1957 and the Air Force Act, 1950, makes the following rules further to amend the existing rules of the three services, and they will come into force on the date of their publication in the official gazette.

As per the amendment to the Army Rules, "an officer who is serving as Lieutenant General or General or an officer who has retired in the rank of Lieutenant General or General but has not attained the age of sixty-two years on the date of his appointment", if the "Central Government may, if considered necessary, in public interest, so to do" may be appointed as the CDS.

It also says that "provided that the Central Government may, if considered necessary, in public interest, so to do, extend the service of the Chief of Defence Staff for such period as it may deem necessary subject to a maximum age of sixty-five years".

Similarly, for the Navy, "an officer who is serving as Vice Admiral or Admiral or an officer who has retired in the rank of Vice Admiral or Admiral but has not attained the age of sixty-two years on the date of appointment", and for the Air Force, "an officer who is serving as Air Marshal or Air Chief Marshal or an officer who has retired in the rank of Air Marshal or Air Chief Marshal but has not attained the age of sixty-two years on the date of his appointment" may be appointed as the CDS.