NEW DELHI: The government on Friday said the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act has been notified through a gazette notification and will be enforced from May 10, with the law aimed at pushing jointness among the three services.
The Act will empower the government to notify the setting up of inter-services organisations (ISOs), including joint services commands, and bestow powers on heads of such organisations to act against personnel from any of the three services to ensure discipline and effective discharge of duties.
“With the notification, the Act will empower the heads of ISOs and pave the way for expeditious disposal of cases, avoid multiple proceedings and will be a step towards greater integration and jointness among the armed forces personnel,” the defence ministry said in a statement.
The Bill was passed by Parliament during last year’s monsoon session and received the President’s assent on August 15, 2023.
The Act empowers commanders-in-chief and officers-in-command of ISOs to exercise control over service personnel serving under them for maintenance of discipline and administration, without disturbing the unique service conditions of each individual service, the statement added. Such personnel were thus far governed by the respective laws of the three services - the Army Act, 1950, the Air Force Act, 1950, and the Navy Act, 1957.
The development comes amid a renewed push for theaterisation, a long-awaited military reform for the best use of the military’s resources to fight future wars. Last year, defence minister Rajnath Singh described the bill as an important step towards integration and jointness among the armed forces to face future challenges.
{{/usCountry}}The development comes amid a renewed push for theaterisation, a long-awaited military reform for the best use of the military’s resources to fight future wars. Last year, defence minister Rajnath Singh described the bill as an important step towards integration and jointness among the armed forces to face future challenges.
{{/usCountry}}The existing legal framework of the armed forces thus far had its limitations when it came to tri-services matters as officers of one service lacked the authority to exercise disciplinary and administrative powers over personnel belonging to another service. For instance, a three-star general heading a joint command could not act against air force or navy personnel serving under him.
The lack of such powers had a direct impact on command, control and discipline, as previously reported by HT.
The law will improve the functioning of ISOs as they will be able to work with greater independence because of much-needed powers being vested in their commanders, Lieutenant General Satish Dua (retd), a former Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, had earlier said.
Meanwhile, a two-day conclave of heads of tri-services institutes, chaired by chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan, concluded on Friday, with the meet focused on promoting jointness and integration.