Antony also made it clear yet again that the Supreme Court verdict on the controversy surrounding the Army Chief’s date of birth will be final. “Let's wait for the Supreme Court decision. That will be final and nobody can question that," he said.

At a separate function, the Army Chief said the Defence Minister was ‘right’ in noting that the Army was responsible for the entire controversy.

When asked to comment on the Antony's statement and that if the 'original sin' on the issue was committed within the force, Singh said: “Absolutely, it is within the Army. After 36 years, you suddenly decide to come up with an issue. There is something wrong with it.”

Gen Singh, however, rejected suggestions that there has been a delay on part of the Army to respond to the Defence Ministry's latest letter on his age issue, saying everything does not happen "with the press of a button". The General also gave assurance to fellow officers that the problem of varying DoB in records will not recur ever in the future. “There was some problem in coordination between the branch that keeps all the service records and other branches. Now a system has been put in place to resolve it," he said.

The Army has two sets of records related to General Singh's dates of birth leading to the controversy and forcing the Army Chief to move the apex court to resolve the issue. The Adjutant General Branch, the official record keeper in the Army, maintains the General’s date of birth as May 10, 1951; in the Military Secretary Branch, the Army Chief’s date of birth is May 10, 1950.