Lieutenant General Ajai Kumar Singh took over as General Office Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Command of the Indian Army on Tuesday, a defence release said.
In an open letter to the Supreme Court, the former servicemen and women, under the banner of the Constitutional Conduct Group, have raised categorical objections to the decision, calling upon the top court to reverse it.
The letter says people who have taken an oath to uphold the constitution "now openly violate that solemn pledge and demonise members of certain minorities".
Stray cattle destroying crops, farm unrest and annoyance with the sitting legislators have become major issues on the 59 assembly seats of nine districts in Awadh and Bundelkhand region going for polls on Wednesday.