MHA weighs law on IPS deputation to CAPFs, informs Supreme Court

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is considering “statutory intervention” in response to a Supreme Court ruling to “progressively reduce” the deputation of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers up to the rank of Inspector General in Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), according to an affidavit filed by the Ministry in the Supreme Court.

Statutory intervention pertains to enacting a law on the issue of IPS deputation to CAPFs and granting Organised Group A Services (OGAS) status to CAPF officers.

“In reference to the order dated 28.10.2025, the present affidavit is being filed by the respondents/contemnors. It is submitted that the Central Government is considering bringing statutory intervention in this regard,” the affidavit, accessed by The Hindu, stated. 

The contempt petitions

The affidavit was filed on February 9 in response to a batch of contempt petitions filed against Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan by retired CAPF officers, following the alleged non-implementation of the Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling on reducing IPS deputation in the Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) in CAPFs in the next two years. The contempt petitions were filed on December 3, 6 and 9, 2025.

On May 23, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that Group A Executive Cadre officers of CAPFs are Organised Group A Services for all purposes. Besides directing to progressively reduce 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 had filed a review petition challenging the judgement, but the Supreme Court dismissed it on October 28, 2025 , making the ruling final.

Next hearing on March 10

During the hearing on February 10, after the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) informed the court about the statutory intervention, a Bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan issued a notice to the Union Home Secretary and listed the matter for further hearing on March 10.

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 court’s ruling is expected to significantly reduce IPS deputation to CAPFs. Around 13,000 CAPF officers are likely to benefit from the judgement leading to faster promotions and overcoming issues of stagnation. The MHA serves as the cadre-controlling authority for both the IPS and CAPFs.

The SC ruling also required the MHA to amend the service rules of CAPFs, complete cadre review, and extend OGAS benefits to CAPF officers within six months.

Cadre review

Cadre review is typically done every five years to estimate future human resources requirements, plan recruitment to avoid future promotional blocks, harmonise the functional needs with the legitimate career expectations of its members and enhance the effectiveness of the service. The last cadre review of CAPFs was done in 2016.

Following MHA’s November 27, 2025, letter, the DGs of CAPFs constituted internal committees comprising IPS and CAPF officers to finalise the cadre review. However, a CAPF officer said the cadre review was meaningless in the absence of amended service rules.

The CRPFs include the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Assam Rifles.