COMMISSIONED OFFICERS

WHAT IS MEANT BY  COMMISSIONED

Sadly and regretfully,  we the Armed Forces Officers  neither know the meaning of being a "commissioned" officer nor it is a part of our curriculum in the Training Academies or the officer’s courses at any level. You as a commissioned officer are the only category who get a commissioning parchment stamped in the name of the President, earlier it was the King or the Queen who stamped the parchment. By tradition the President uses his stamp and does not sign. No civil servant of even the so called organised Group “A” Officer gets anything like this. They get an appointment letter signed by some Under Secretary in their department.

A commission carries with it the authority of the Constitution to exercise the powers of the State so  vested in the President as mandated, specially of the command of soldiers. 

Let us just compare the oath which is administered to the Commissioned officers.

OATH OF AN INDIAN ARMY OFFICER!!

I,   (name) hereby solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India,
as by law established and that I will, as in duty bound honestly and faithfully,
serve in the regular Army of the Union of India and go where ever ordered, by land, sea or air,
and that I will observe and obey all the commands of the President of the Union of India and the commands of any officer set above me, even to the peril of my life.

On the contrary the civil servants are like staff of the Executive to assist them in carrying out their constitutional duties. They have no authority of their own except when appointed in the capacity of deputy commissioners/commissioners etc. The term Commissioner comes from the same word i.e  Commission which we all were while in service.

OATH TAKEN BY A CIVIL SERVANT !!

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE   I, Dr. / Shri / Smt. / Ms._________________Disignation_______________, do swear/solemnly affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to India and to the Constitution of India as by law established, that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, and that I will carry out the duties of my office loyally, honestly, and with impartiality.

   Note – In most cases it is seen that the civil servant simply signs the oath which is then filed by the office superintendent.

  It is Just like an ordered Committee, which carries no constitutional authority or powers but a duly constituted Commission does carry mandated powers and authority. All the commissions like UPSC, Women Commission etc have the powers of the state (vested in the President of India by the constitution) to exercise within the allotted ambit.

Similarly, an Area/Sub Area Commander can declare Martial law under Art. 34 of the Constitution if the civil authority gets broken down. That's the reason why the whole country is divided into Areas under the Army Commanders.

We have been happy keeping ourselves busy in drill, PT, minor tactics of the CI variety. In the process we have even forgotten what is operational art ...what to talk of strategy. End result is that we have been taken for a royal ride by all. Our bosses have accepted going to war without any legal backing. Sri Lanka and Kargil are prime examples. Hence we get no cover of Geneva Conventions for such acts. Such things have happened because our brass has neither the knowledge nor the spine to stand up.

That's why I say that we leave our brains behind and come out as robots. know the meaning of being a "commissioned" officer. Nor is a part of our curriculum in any of the courses. You are the only category who get a commissioning parchment stamped in the name of the President. Earlier it was the King or the Queen. By tradition the President only uses his stamp and does not sign. No civil servant gets anything like this. They get an appointment letter signed by some Under Secretary.

A commission carries with it the authority of the Constitution to exercise the powers (especially of command) of state as mandated. 

On the contrary the civil servants are like staff of the Executive to assist them in carrying out their constitutional duties. They have no authority of their own except when appointed in the capacity of deputy commissioners/commissioners etc. The term Commissioner comes from the same word that is Commission which we all were while in service.

Just like a Committee carries no constitutional authority but a Commission does. All the commissions like UPSC etc have the power of the state (vested in the President) to exercise powers within the allotted ambit.

Similarly, an Area/Sub Area Commander can declare Martial law under Art. 34 of the Constitution if the civil authority has broken down. That's the reason why the whole country is divided into Areas under the army commanders.

So neither have we made an attempt to know and realise our real powers vested in the document and act of "commission" nor have the hierarchy made an attempt to make this main stream. It suits the Netas and the Babus very well.

We have been happy keeping ourselves busy in drill, PT, minor tactics of the CI variety. In the process we have even forgotten what is operational art ...what to talk of strategy. End result is that we have been taken for a royal ride by all. Our bosses have accepted going to war without any legal backing. Sri Lanka and Kargil are prime examples. Hence we get no cover of Geneva Conventions for such acts. Such things have happened because our brass has neither the knowledge nor the spine to stand up.

That's why I say that we leave our brains behind and come out as robots.

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ब्रिगेडियर_नरेन्द्र_ढंड
Brig Narinder Dhand,
Founder & Convener
Veteran's Web Portals.

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