Govt. gazettes bill to abolish Chief of Defence Staff position and repeal 2009 Act
May 17, 2026 01:49 pm
A bill to repeal the Chief of Defence Staff Act No. 35 of 2009 has been published through an official gazette notification.
According to reports, the relevant draft bill, prepared under the instructions of the Minister of Defence, was published in the Government Gazette on May 15.
The draft bill has been prepared to repeal the Chief of Defence Staff Act No. 35 of 2009 and to provide for matters connected with or incidental to that repeal.
The draft legislation, introduced as the “Repeal of the Chief of Defence Staff Act, 2026,” would abolish the position of Chief of Defence Staff.
From the date the Act comes into operation, the office of the Chief of Defence Staff will cease to exist, and the person holding that office will be reassigned to the respective armed service to which they belong.
The draft bill also states that, once the Act takes effect, all movable and immovable property belonging to the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff must be transferred to the Ministry assigned to the subject of defence.
