Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 9: The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026, which establishes a common framework for the recruitment and service conditions of Group-A general duty officers and other officers in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), came into force on Thursday, according to a government notification.

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the notification appointing October 8, 2026, as the date for the implementation of the Act. The development comes as the Supreme Court is hearing petitions filed by thousands of CAPF officers challenging the validity of the legislation, which was passed by Parliament in April.

The Act regulates recruitment, promotions, deputation and other service conditions of officers in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

Under the new law, 50 per cent of Inspector General (IG) posts in the CAPFs will be reserved for Indian Police Service (IPS) officers on deputation. At the Additional Director General (ADG) level, at least 67 per cent of posts will be reserved for IPS deputationists. All posts at the Special Director General (SDG) and Director General (DG) levels will be filled through deputation from the IPS.

Previously, appointments to these senior positions were governed by executive orders. The new legislation provides a statutory framework for appointments and service conditions across the five forces.

The Centre recently informed the Supreme Court through an affidavit that the appointment of Group-A general duty officers in the CAPFs is governed by the new Act. It said the legislation expressly empowers the Union government to prescribe recruitment methods, including deputation, and determine officers' service conditions.

However, cadre officers of the five forces have challenged the legislation, arguing that it restricts their career progression compared with IPS officers appointed on deputation. They have also filed a contempt petition seeking implementation of the Supreme Court's May 2025 judgment.

In its earlier judgment, the apex court had directed that the deputation of IPS officers up to the rank of Inspector General in the CAPFs be progressively reduced over two years to provide greater promotion opportunities for cadre officers. The court had observed that delayed promotions could adversely affect the morale of the forces.

The petitions challenging the 2026 legislation are currently being heard by the Supreme Court.