Former Army Chief Gen VK Singh fails to appear before JK Council

Jammu: Former Army Chief VK Singh on Wednesday failed to appear for the second time in two weeks before the privileges committee of the upper house of Jammu and Kashmir assembly with the ruling National Conference demanding that a non-bailable warrant be slapped on him.

Former Army Chief Gen VK Singh. AFP

The ruling party and the Congress sparred over the legality of the committee itself.

Singh was asked to appear before the committee after he alleged during a television interview that Army was paying money to politicians in Jammu and Kashmir.

As five of the six-member committee of the Legislative Council met in Jammu this morning, its chairman Jugal Kishore was informed by Panthers' Party chief Bhim Singh that the former Army Chief would make himself available before the Committee by 26 January.

At this stage, National Conference's Legislative Council member Davinder Rana demanded that Bhim Singh should record his statement that the former Army Chief would make himself available before the Committee.

Ravinder Sharma of Congress questioned the legality of the Committee, saying that as per law it should not be more than five members but was told that under the rules it was the prerogative of the Chairman of the Council to have any number of MLCs in the Committee.

Sharma, a close confidant of Pradesh Congress Chief Saif-ud-din Soz, was also asked as to why was he questioning the Committee's legality after being a member for the last one year.

However, Jugal Kishore of Congress referred the matter to the Chairman of the Council Amrit Malhotra to decide whether the privileges committee was legal or illegal.

NC members led by Rana staged a walkout from the proceedings in protest and demanded issuance of non-bailable warrant against Gen Singh for non-appearance.

PTI