In a significant intervention, the Supreme Court has ordered the central government to complete the long-pending cadre review of all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) — including the ITBP, BSF, CRPF, CISF, and SSB — within six months.
The directive came from a bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, which was hearing a batch of petitions seeking Non Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU), cadre restructuring, and amendments to recruitment rules aimed at curbing IPS deputation to CAPFs.
The court noted that while a cadre review had originally been scheduled for 2021, it had not yet been undertaken. It stressed the urgency of the matter, instructing the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to make a final decision within three months of receiving the action taken report from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Acknowledging the critical role of the CAPFs in maintaining internal security and guarding India’s borders, the court said their operational effectiveness depends heavily on sound cadre management and clear recruitment policies.
“There are various issues connected with the deployment of CAPFs, including coordination with state governments and state police forces,” the bench observed, underlining the administrative challenges faced by these forces.
This judgment is expected to accelerate long-overdue structural reforms in India’s paramilitary forces and could lead to changes in how senior posts are allocated, potentially impacting the current practice of IPS deputation at top levels.
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