The Supreme Court Thursday agreed to hear a plea against the selection procedure followed in naming Lt. Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag as the next Indian Army chief.

An apex court bench headed by Justice Vikramajit Sen directed that the plea of Lt. Gen. Ravi Dastane challenging the appointment of Lt. Gen. Suhag as the head of the Eastern Command, which made him eligible for the army chief's post, be heard next month.

Lt. Gen Suhag will succeed Gen. Bikram Singh as the army chief on Aug 1.