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New CAPF bill has one purpose—protect IPS officers’ career at the cost of security forces

The proposed law is going to be another “Shah Bano” moment, as it reverses the Supreme Court ruling.

The bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 25 March is ironically titled Central Armed Police Forces (Administrative Reforms) Bill 2026—it has created intense angst among the serving and retired personnel of the five Central Armed Forces. 

Normally, reform should cover the entire gamut of problems festering in an organisation. But this bill focuses only on creating a permanent place for the IPS officers at the rank of Inspector General and above in the CAPFs through enactment of a law—even though these posts were already reserved for them under rules framed by the forces’ existing Acts. 

The proposed law—certain to pass given the ruling dispensation’s majority in both houses—is going to be another “Shah Bano” moment by reversing the Supreme Court ruling. The court had directed the government to implement its own policy by granting these cadres full “Organised Service” status along with all associated benefits. 

The implementation of the order would have ensured that cadre officers were promoted to all vacancies up to Inspector General by gradually eliminating IPS deputation to that rank within two years. Even limited compliance would have eased stagnation within these forces. 

More importantly, it would have addressed the financial distress that these officers face due to stagnation through Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU), a scheme introduced to tackle similar issues across Organised Services. It is important to note that out of 62 organised services, all except the five CAPFs have been granted both OGAS and NFFU.

The Supreme Court order was the culmination of a long and arduous legal battle, in which the courts had always ruled in favour of the cadre officers. Yet the government, in its wisdom or perhaps goaded by the IPS........

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