247. (1) The crews of Indian Naval Ships shall rank and command after Naval Cadets according to this Regulation.
(2) Any sailor of any one of following ranks shall rank and command before any sailor of a rank below it in the following list, except that sailors exercising Military Command rank and command before all sailors placed under their command:-
Chief Petty Officer Petty Officer Leading Seaman Able Seaman Ordinary Seaman Boy Seaman
(3) Sailors belonging to any one of the ranks mentioned in sub-regulation (2) shall rank and command among themselves according to their seniority in that rank provided that :-
(a) Chief Engine- Room Artificers, Chief Ordnance Artificers, Chief Electrical Artificers, Chief Shipwright Artificers, Chief Aircraft Artificers, Chief Mechanicians, Chief Aircraft Mechanicians and Chief Electrical Mechanicians shall rank and command over all other ratings of these eight branches. "Chief" ratings within one of these branches shall rank and command between themselves according to seniority in "Chief " rating. "Chief " ratings of two or more of these branches shall rank and command between themselves by seniority as Chief Petty Officer. Where "Chief " ratings of any of these eight branches are together with Chief Petty Officers of other branches they will rank and command according to seniority as Chief Petty Officer.
(b) Engine-Room Artificers, Ordnance Artificers, Electrical Artificers, Shipwright Artificers and Aircraft Artificers of a particular class shall rank and command over all Engine- Room Artificers, Ordnance Artificers, Electrical Artificers, Shipwright Artificers and Aircraft Artificers of a lower class. Within one of these branches, sailors of the same class shall rank and command according to their seniority in that class.
(c) For purposes of departmental work only, in the absence of the departmental officer, the seniormost artificer or mechanician sailor of the department concerned may be directed to take charge of the department and deputise for the departmental officer.
(4) Acting sailor shall rank and command immediately after corresponding confirmed sailors, and among themselves according to the dates they attained their acting rank.
(5) Sailors of the same branch ranked on the same day shall rank and command according to the order in which they appear on the roster for advancement. Sailors of different branches, and sailors whose relative position has not already been determined by roster, shall rank and command according to the order in which they attained man's ranks. Sailors who have been reduced in rank and re-advanced will reckon their previous service in their present rank for purposes of rank and command.
(6) Where a situation arises in regard to the exercise of rank and command not specifically governed by the above provisions, Commanding Officers should deal with the case according to its merits with a view to the best interests of the Service.
(7) Relative rank of Chief Petty Officers, Petty Officers and men of the Indian Navy with Non-Commissioned Officers and men of the Army and the Indian Air Force shall be as laid down in Regulation 250.