A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice A S Anand stayed the High Court order when Attorney Genral Soli Sorabjee mentioned the Special Leave Petition challenging the December 16 order of the Delhi High Court.

A single judge bench of the Delhi High Court on December 11 had quashed the appointment of Lt Gen Kalkat and held that Lt Gen R S Kadiyan should have been appointed in his place.

A division bench of the High Court on December 16 had upheld the single judge's order and rejected an appeal filed by the government.

The three-judge bench of the apex court, while posting the hearing of the SLP filed by the government after the reopening of the court in January, said that the operation of the High Court order would be stayed during the pendency of the case in Supreme Court.

The High Court hadquashed Lt Gen Kalkat's appointment and directed the Army headquarters to appoint Lt General Kadiyan in his place as the latter was `wrongly superseded' in April this year.

While allowing a petition by Lt Gen Kadiyan challenging appointment of Kalkat as GoC, the High Court held that the promotion was "contrary" to the laid down down criteria.