Government has decided to recommend acting Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) Purna Chandra Thapa for the top position of the Nepal Army to be effective from September 9.

A Cabinet meeting held at Singhadurbar on Sunday evening decided to recommend Thapa to be appointed as the COAS to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

Following the cabinet meeting, government spokesperson and Minister for Communication and Information Gokul Banskota said the meeting decided to promote Thapa as COAS.

On July 27, the government had recommended Leutenant General Thapa as the Acting Chief of Army Staff and had taken charge after the CoAS General Rajendra Chhetri stayed on leave since August 10.

CoAS Chhetri is formally retiring on September 9, and it’s a tradition of Nepal Army that the CoAS takes leave a month prior to his retirement.