Officers Raise Concerns Over Proposed CAPF Bill

PTI, March 30, 2026, New Delhi: A group of paramilitary officers have petitioned Home Minister Amit Shah to reconsider the CAPF (General Administration) Bill, 2026, saying that it would reduce them to "second-class citizens" within the organisation they have been serving.

The officers argued that the Bill cements a "glass ceiling" by reserving top leadership roles for IPS officers on deputation, permanently barring cadre officers from heading their own organisations.

PTI has seen some of these one-page letters written by officers from the 2011–2016 batches last week.

One letter is from CRPF Assistant Commandant Bibhor Kumar Singh, who received the Shaurya Chakra — the country's third-highest peacetime gallantry award — for displaying exceptional bravery during an anti-Naxal operation in Bihar in 2022.

The officials said these letters were sent by the aggrieved officers through the "proper channel" to their headquarters for onward transmission to the Home Minister, while "advance" copies were sent to the Home Minister through individual emails.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai introduced the CAPF (General Administration) Bill, 2026, in Parliament last week to govern the five Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) — CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB and CISF.

These forces, about one million in combined strength, are deployed for various law-and-order duties, internal security tasks like border guarding, countering terrorism and insurgency, and conducting elections.

The officers stated in their letters that the Bill's provisions were "oppressive" and that it would be "impossible" for them to continue their service with "self-respect" if "deputation" and "administrative protection" take precedence over "expertise" and "field experience".

They have requested Shah to have a relook before the passage of the Bill.

The officers said the Bill will lead to "demoralisation" among the cadre officers and also poses a potential "danger" to their financial security.

The top ranks of DG (Director General) and SDG (Special Director General) have been reserved 100 per cent for IPS officers, meaning cadre officers, despite their full eligibility and service, will never be able to lead their organisations, the officials said, calling this arrangement a "glass ceiling."

The government will make CAPF cadre officers "second-class citizens" by depriving them of their own service rights, the officers contended.

The officers also said that Parliamentary Committees examining CAPF issues in the past found that stagnation in the promotion of cadre-borne commanders results in "extreme demoralisation" and recommended allowing them to occupy the top posts of their respective organisations.

The government said the Bill seeks to create a unified legal framework governing the service conditions of personnel across the five CAPFs, replacing the current patchwork of separate service rule regimes for cadre officers and those coming on deputation from the Indian Police Service (IPS).

Retired CAPF officials have said the Bill aims to "negate" a Supreme Court order from May 2025.

That order said that delaying promotions for CAPF cadre officers can "adversely" impact morale. It asked the Centre to "progressively reduce" IPS deputation up to the Inspector General (IG) rank in these forces, thereby giving native officers more promotion opportunities and reducing their career stagnation.

Last year, the apex court rejected a review petition filed by the Centre against this order.

Veterans and retired CAPF officers, during a press conference held in the national capital last week, said they have "no lobby" to speak for their interests.

They asked the government to hold public "consultations," stating that the Bill in its current form is "discriminatory" towards cadre officers.

On the other hand, some retired IPS officers have written newspaper editorials calling the Bill "important".