Cabinet clears Lt. Gen. Suhag as army chief

Lt. Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag is set to be the next army chief with the cabinet clearing his name Tuesday, sources said.

The decision was taken at the last working cabinet meeting of the Congress-led UPA government, which demits office on Saturday, a day after the Lok Sabha election results are announced.

The defence ministry Monday recommended the name of the army vice chief to the government as the next head of the force.

The move came after the Election Commission gave the government the go-ahead for appointing the new army chief.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had opposed appointment of the new army chief at the "fag end" of the government's tenure.

The prime minister will hold his last cabinet meeting May 17 morning, before handing over to the president the resignation of his government to allow the formation of a new regime.- IANS