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Opposition members on Monday (March 16, 2026) questioned the government’s intention to introduce a Bill in the ongoing session of the Parliament to codify the deputation of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), despite a Supreme Court ruling to progressively reduce IPS deputation up to the rank of Inspector General in the CAPF and grant them organised group stature.
In this backdrop, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday met Ajay Malik, Assistant Commandant of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), who lost a leg in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast during an anti-Maoist operation in Jharkhand on March 1. Mr. Malik who was airlifted to the AIIMS, Delhi had to undergo amputation and is presently recuperating at the CRPF’s camp hospital in Delhi. He joined the CRPF in 2011 as an AC and 15 years on, remains at the same post.
The CAPF officers have argued that despite leading operations from the front and several of them having been killed in the 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 the CAPF are reserved for IPS officers through an executive order. The total strength of the CAPF is around 10 lakh, which includes 13,000 Group A cadre officers. Parliament was recently informed that there are around 93,000 vacancies in all ranks in the CAPF.
On May 23, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that Group A Executive Cadre officers of the CAPF are Organised Group A Services (OGAS) for all purposes. Besides progressively reducing the IPS deputation in the CAPF 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 Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) challenged the judgement 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 the CAPF and IPS.
Contempt petition
After several former CAPF officials moved a contempt petition in the court against the Union Home Secretary for not implementing the Supreme Court order, the MHA informed the court on March 9 that it is considering “appropriate statutory and regulatory intervention.” On March 10, the Union Cabinet approved the Central Armed Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement the SC order stating that a potential ‘statutory intervention’ aimed at circumventing the judicial pronouncements are deeply troubling. “Such a move would not only undermine the rule of law and constitutional propriety but would also demoralise a cadre that serves as a pillar of our national security,” Mr. Kharge said.
He said the CAPF officers form the backbone of border management, internal security and protection of vital installations and operate in the most gruelling conditions to ensure the safety of our citizens. “It is, therefore, a matter of profound concern that these dedicated officers were compelled to seek judicial intervention to secure basic fairness in their service conditions,” he said.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha saying IPS officers should not be deputed in the CAPF as compared to an Assistant Commandant and a Deputy Commandant who take at least 15 years and 18 years for their first and second promotions, an IPS officer gets four promotions during the same number of years.
Retired CAPF officials and the families of serving officials are also planning a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on March 23.
Published – March 16, 2026 08:16 pm IST
