New Delhi, April 23 - The Supreme Court Monday dismissed a petition challenging the appointment of Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh as the next chief of army staff.

Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh will succeed General V.K. Singh as the army chief when the latter demits office on May 31, 2012.

The apex court bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice H.L. Gokhale, while dismissing the petition by Admiral Ramdas and six others, said: 'We don't find any justifiable cause to invoke Article 32 of the Constitution. The writ petition is accordingly dismissed.'

Before rejecting the petition, the court had perused the original files relating to the appointment of Lt. General Bikram Singh as the next army chief.