New Delhi, February 26
Admiral DK Joshi’s sudden resignation from the post of Navy Chief has upset the line of succession in the force.

Had he continued for his full tenure -- till August 2015 - Vice-Admiral Satish Soni, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Naval Command, Kochi, would have succeeded him on September 1, 2015. Soni would have then been the senior-most officer.

Though the government was careful to appoint Vice-Admiral RK Dhowan as ‘interim chief’, Vice-Admiral Sekhar Sinha is currently the senior-most officer in the Navy, with his retirement slated for October 31, 2014. Sinha is the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command, Mumbai. However, all accidents following which Admiral Joshi resigned occurred under Sinha’s command.

Chiefs are appointed for a period of three years or till they attain 62 years of age, whichever is earlier. Vice-Admirals retire at the age of 60; hence age matters for officers to become Navy Chief.

The second senior-most in line is Vice-Admiral Dhowan, who is due to retire on May 31, 2014. The third senior-most is Vice-Admiral Anil Chopra the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vishakapatnam. He superannuates in 2015.

Appointment of the Navy Chief is the government’s call. In the past, decision on a succession line in the armed force has occurred rarely since Independence. Lt General SK Sinha was overlooked to appoint General AS Vaidya as Army Chief and he quit.

Admiral Bhagwat was sacked midway. Army Chief General BC Joshi died leading to the elevation of General Shankar Roy Chowdhry, the senior-most Lt General.

Though Admiral Joshi has gone down in history as the first Navy Chief to resign, Admiral Arun Prakash had in the past offered to quit, but was persuaded by then Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee to stay. In the early 1960s, General KS Thimmaya quit but was persuaded by Jawahar Lal Nehru to withdraw his resignation.