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1. In relation to the application of sections 47(6) and 49(2) of the Defence Act, 1954, the Committee noted in its previous comments the information provided by the Government according to which any refusal by the President to permit voluntary retirement of officers (if applied for) or to accept resignations of officers (if tendered) is made in exceptional circumstances only where the retirements or resignations would have a significant adverse effect on the operational capacity of the defence forces, that any such refusal does not in any way preclude the officers concerned from making a fresh application whenever they wish at a future date and that a fresh application has every possibility of being successful where the exceptional circumstances obtaining when the original application was refused no longer apply at the time of the fresh application. The Committee requested the Government to indicate any changes which may occur in the provisions concerned or in the manner of their application.

The Committee notes the Government's indication in its latest report that no such changes have occurred. The Committee requests the Government to continue to indicate in its future reports any changes in law or in practice in this regard.

2. Referring to section 53 of the Defence Act 1954, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the possibility for a person enlisted as a minor to resign when attaining the age of 18 years.