The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Centre on Wednesday, questioning its inability to resolve the tussle between IPS and in-house officers of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). The apex court was hearing the contempt petition filed by CAPF cadre officers against the CAPF (General Administration) Act, 2026, that formalised the deputation of IPS officers at senior administrative grades in the CAPFs.
Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati if there are no competent officers in the CAPFs to hold managerial positions. “It is wrong. Totally wrong,” Justice Bhuyan remarked.
The top court reminded the Centre that there are officers who have served for 25-30 years in CRPF, ITBP, and BSF and yet are denied the opportunity. “They are also defending our borders. They are also fighting for us… Supreme sacrifices they have made…” the top court judge remarked.
Justice Bhuyan went to the extent of making a strong remark, saying there is a strong lobby there due to which the CAPFs’ cadre officers are completely stifled.
The bench of Justice Bhuyan and Atul Sharachchandra Chandurkar was actually hearing a clutch of contempt petitions filed by CAPF cadre officers against the new CAPF Act formalizing the deputation of IPS officers at the senior administrative grade in the forces.
The petitioners have sought the apex court’s intervention to nullify the provisions of the Act, contending that the Act would virtually reverse a May 2025 Supreme Court judgement.
The top court, in May 2025, had directed the Centre for a cadre review across all CAPFs and gradually reduce the number of IPS officers on deputation in the forces within two years. The Centre later filed a review against the ruling, which the apex court dismissed in October last year.
It was followed by the government enacting the CAPF (General Administration) Act, despite protest and criticism by CAPF cadre officers.
The apex court last month sought a status report from the Home and DoPT’s secretaries on the steps taken to implement the directions given in the May 2025 judgement.
Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan then filed an affidavit, saying that the Cadre Review of proposals of all CAPFS has been examined in MHA, concurred by IFD (Integrated Finance Division), and forwarded to DoPT for further consideration.
The Home Secretary also informed the court that a total of 46 IPS officers have been deputed to CAPFs since the May 2025 directives up to IG rank.
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