NEW DELHI: Even as paramilitary veterans intensify their battle against IPS officers’ deputation in the CAPFs, a grievance the Supreme Court upheld, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to table the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026, in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, in what is seen as the Centre’s legislative pushback against the court’s directive.
CAPFs include ITBP, BSF, CRPF, CISF and SSB. The bill seeks to regulate recruitment rules and service conditions for Group-A general duty officers and other officers across the CAPFs, along with related administrative matters.
The proposed legislation follows the Supreme Court dismissing the Centre’s review plea in October last year against its May 23, 2025 verdict. The apex court had directed the Centre to reduce IPS officers’ deputation in the CAPFs and carry out a long-pending cadre review within six months. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan rejected the Centre’s review plea. Earlier, a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan had directed DoPT to take appropriate action within three months of receiving the Ministry of Home Affairs’ cadre review report.
The court had directed that IPS deputation posts in CAPFs up to the Senior Administrative Grade level be progressively reduced within two years, citing stagnation among cadre officers as a long-standing grievance.
“Keeping in mind the twin objectives of service mobility of the cadre officers of CAPF ... Removing stagnation on the one hand and the operational/functional requirement of the forces on the other hand, we are of the view that the number of posts earmarked for deputation in the cadres of the CAPFs up to the level of senior administrative grade (SAG) should be progressively reduced over a period of time, say within an outer limit of two years,” the SC had said.
It had said this step would bring in a sense of participation of the cadre officers belonging to the CAPFs in the decision-making process within the forces’ administrative framework, thereby removing their long-standing grievances. The court acknowledged the Centre’s position that IPS officers are vital for maintaining the unique character of these forces, but made clear that neither individual IPS officers nor their associations could determine deputation quotas — those remain policy decisions of the central government.
The court lauded CAPF personnel for serving under demanding conditions while securing borders and maintaining internal security, noting that stagnation caused by lateral entry into higher grades adversely impacts their morale. On Friday, the paramilitary veterans had hit the streets making clear their battle against the bill goes far beyond ranks and promotions.
The veterans from the CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB in a press conference said they are fighting for constitutional equity and a direct say in policies governing the CAPFs — forces that together deploy nearly 10 lakh personnel guarding India’s borders, protecting strategic installations and conducting counter-insurgency operations.
“To put it bluntly, we do not have a lobby—our voices reach through imposed leadership,” said retired BSF ADG Sanjiv Krishan Sood.
Command and contention
Context
Bill cleared by Union Cabinet on March 10, 2026
Move seen as response to Supreme Court order on IPS deputation
Top court orders
The SC (May 23, 2025) ordered reduction of IPS deputation in CAPFs
Mandated cadre review within six months
Centre’s review plea dismissed (Oct 2025) by Justices Surya Kant & Ujjal Bhuyan
Core issue
CAPFs (CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB) have 10 lakh personnel
Cadre officers face stagnation as senior posts go to IPS officers on deputation
Salient features of the Bill
Seeks to formally regulate recruitment rules, promotions and service conditions of Group-A General Duty officers across CAPFs
Proposes a centralised legal framework for administrative control, covering postings, cadre management & related matters