New Delhi
The Center on Wednesday introduced the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026 in the Rajya Sabha, amid objections from at least six members who filed notices against its introduction.
However, the notifications were rejected by voice vote and Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai introduced the bill. In the face of opposition, Al-Rai said: “The objections raised are not factually correct. This draft law does not interfere in any way with the powers of the judiciary. Its purpose is only to clarify the administrative framework, recruitment processes and matters related to service in the Central Armed Police Forces.”
The proposed legislation aims to create a uniform legal framework for all five Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and formalize the mandate of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers at senior levels.
The draft law proposes to reserve 67% of the additional director-general positions and 50% of the inspector-general positions for deputed Prison Service employees, while all the special director-general and director-general positions will be reserved for them, bypassing the rules stipulated in the law on any conflicting provisions.
The bill says IPS officers are essential for effective functioning and coordination between the state and the Centre, even as CAPF associations have opposed the proposals, citing career stagnation among cadre officers.
At the beginning of the discussion on the bill, Congress leader Ajay Maken said that the bill contravenes the Supreme Court order and undermines the multiple legal victories achieved by former CAPF officials in various courts.
On 23 May 2025, the Supreme Court directed the government to “gradually reduce” the mandate of the IPS, conduct a cadre review, and promote more cadre officers to senior positions.
McCain, a former Secretary of State for Home Affairs, said the bill harms the officer cadre. He highlighted the role of the CRPF’s CoBRA unit, set up in 2009, which has been instrumental in helping the government achieve its goal of eliminating Naxalism by March 31, 2026. “We set up CoBRA in 2009. When the Home Minister talks about eliminating Naxalism from the country, the biggest contribution comes from the jawans. Consider the case of Assistant Commander Ajay Malik, who lost his leg in an IED blast during “Anti-Naxal operation in Jharkhand, despite 15 years of service, he is still assistant commander and has not been promoted. This reflects the stagnation faced by cadre officers. It takes approximately 30 years to become an adjutant general, 20 years to become a senior commander, and 15 years to become a senior commander. In contrast, an IPS officer can become an SP or DIG within seven years and rise to the rank of Commander.”
Over the past five years, 529 members of the Canadian Armed Forces have died in the line of duty, many of them while fighting Naxals or guarding the border, McCain said. “How can we motivate them in such circumstances? When the courts have delivered justice within the constitutional framework at least six times, why is the government trying to bypass the judiciary?”
BJP MP Mahendra Bhatt said the legislation would be a positive administrative reform for employees as it provides a uniform framework for all CAPFs. “This will help in creating a strong framework for our internal security. The government knows that members of our military police force have been facing issues related to their career. This bill will address their issues. This will not only increase the efficiency of the forces but will also boost the morale of the soldiers. There will be no more lawsuits and the forces will be able to focus on their duty.”
YSRCP MP Jula Babu Rao also supported the proposed legislation. He said the legislation would bring administrative clarity and operational efficiency through a unified framework, but urged that it be referred to a parliamentary committee in which CAPF is represented, given its impact on the professional lives of more than a million employees.
Aside from McCain, Derek O’Brien (TMC), and John Brittas (CPI[M]), Sandosh Kumar P (CPI), Tiruchi Siva (DMK) and Vivek Tankha (Congress) moved notices against bringing the bill.
