The CAPFs comprise the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). File.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026, that is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha next week, states that in all CAPFs, 50% of the total posts in the rank of Inspector General, at least 67% posts in the rank of Additional Director General and all posts in the rank of Special Director General and Director General shall be filled by Indian Police Service (IPS) officers on deputation. Till now, such postings were done based on executive orders, and the Bill will codify the provisions.
The Bill seeks to negate a May 23, 2025 Supreme Court judgment which asked the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to “progressively reduce” IPS deputation in CAPFs up to the rank of I-Gs in the next two years.
Retired CAPF officials have opposed the Bill stating that the government is discriminating against cadre officers who won the case after 10 years of litigation to overcome career stagnation. Due to absence of senior level posts, it takes an officer who joins as an Assistant Commandant in CAPFs, at least 15-18 years for her/his first promotion.
The Bill circulated among Rajya Sabha members late on Friday said the CAPFs perform functions of national security in close coordination with State authorities and in the interest of maintaining Centre-State relationship, the IPS officers are necessary for effective functioning of these forces. It said that “it is considered necessary to enact an umbrella law to regulate the recruitment and conditions of service of Group A General Duty Officers and other officers appointed to the CAPFs with a view to ensure legislative clarity, preserving its operational distinctiveness, and harmonising judicial directions with administrative and federal requirements.”
Statement of objects
The statement of objects and reasons by Home Minister Amit Shah said that in recent years, due to the absence of an umbrella law, regulatory provisions have evolved in a fragmented manner resulting in several litigations on service-related matters, leading to some functional and administrative difficulties. It added that the Bill was being brought to “avoid unnecessary litigations.”
It said the CAPFs play a vital role in maintaining national security and discharging important functions such as securing the borders of the country, undertaking anti-insurgency operations and maintaining internal security of the Union and the States adding that these Forces are also designed to supplement Armed Forces of the Union during war.
It added that under Article 312 of the Constitution, IPS is an All India Service and “historically, IPS officers are an integral and important part of the CAPFs.”
The CAPF officers have argued that despite leading operations from the front and several of them having been killed in line of action, they face career stagnation and most times the first promotion comes only after 15-18 years of service.
Presently, 20% of posts in the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and 50% of posts in the rank of Inspector General (IG) in CAPFs are reserved for IPS officers through an executive order. The total strength of CAPFs is around 10 lakh, which includes 13,000 Group A cadre officers. The Parliament was recently informed that there are around 93,000 vacancies in all ranks in CAPFs.
On May 23, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that Group A Executive Cadre officers of CAPFs are Organised Group A Services (OGAS) for all purposes. Besides progressively reducing the IPS deputation in CAPFS up to the level of I-Gs in the next two years, the court asked for a time-bound review of cadre and service rules in six months. The MHA challenged the judgment but on October 28, 2025 the apex court dismissed the review petition, making the ruling final. The MHA is the cadre controlling authority of both CAPFs and IPS.
The CAPFs comprise the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
Published – March 21, 2026 12:29 am IST
