New Delhi: Retired officers of India’s Central Armed Police Forces on Friday sharply intensified their demand for full implementation of the Supreme Court of India judgment granting Organised Group A Service (OGAS) status to CAPF Group A Executive Cadre officers, while simultaneously urging that the proposed CAPF (General Administration) Bill, 2026 be referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee for detailed scrutiny and wider consultation.
Former senior officers said the issue goes beyond service conditions and directly affects institutional morale, promotion opportunities, pension security and long-term operational efficiency within forces responsible for border management and internal security.
Senior Retired Officers Raise Concerns Over Delay in Supreme Court Order
The demand was raised during a conference attended by retired officers from ranks ranging from Inspector General (IG) to Additional Director General (ADG).
Among those who addressed the gathering were –
- H R Singh
- S K Sood
- Vikash Chandra
- Pradeep Gupta
- Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi
The officers argued that the government’s delay in implementing the court ruling is creating dissatisfaction across the forces.
H R Singh Questions Delay in Implementing Supreme Court Verdict
H R Singh, former ADG of Central Reserve Police Force, questioned why a judgment he described as “balanced and just” has still not been fully implemented.
According to him, the Supreme Court had clearly addressed long-pending concerns of CAPF cadre officers after a prolonged legal battle.
He said the core question now is why implementation remains stalled despite judicial finality.
#WATCH | Delhi | On the CAPF (General Administration) Bill 2026, BSF ADG SK Sood (retd.) says, “… We have always raised these issues during our service… We also have the Central Paramilitary Retired Association that raises questions on every possible occasion… We will also be… pic.twitter.com/HtAJ3m30Uy
— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2026
Demand to Send CAPF Bill 2026 to Parliamentary Standing Committee
Mr Singh strongly argued that any legislation affecting command structure, leadership opportunities and service conditions must be examined publicly before enactment.
He demanded that the proposed CAPF Regulation framework be:
- Placed in the public domain
- Referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs
- Opened for consultation with all stakeholders
He said both CAPF officers and Indian Police Service officers should be consulted before finalising reforms.
Veterans Say Promotion Bottlenecks Are Hurting Morale
A major concern raised by retired officers was stagnation in promotions due to current recruitment and deputation structures.
They argued that limited upward mobility for internal cadre officers has created severe frustration within the forces.
According to them, leadership pathways remain constrained despite long service in difficult operational environments.
Old Pension Scheme Also Raised as Key Concern
Singh also said CAPF veterans have continuously raised the issue of pension protection.
He stressed that pension denial affects morale, especially for jawans deployed in high-risk conditions.
According to him –
- When one Group A officer gets promoted, promotions move downward through the entire chain
- Constables and lower ranks also benefit through vacancy creation
He described this as a “ladder system” within service progression.
Supreme Court Recognised CAPFs as Armed Forces of the Union
Singh underlined that courts have already recognised CAPFs as Armed Forces of the Union, which strengthens the demand for parity in service benefits.
He warned that ignoring this recognition could affect morale across all ranks.
Time-Bound Promotions Sought for All Personnel
Calling jawans the backbone of the force, Singh said leadership reforms must include time-bound promotions for all ranks.
He argued that dissatisfied leadership cannot ensure motivated lower ranks.
#CAPF (administration bill) 2026 को लेकर #BSF के पूर्व धाकड़ IG विकास चंद्रा ने कहा, कैडर अफसरों को पॉलिसी मेकिंग में शामिल करो, हमें दूर मत करो। रुस्तम साहब के समय की फीलिंग और आज के दौर की फीलिंग बहुत अलग है।साथ में बैठे हैं BSF के पूर्व ADG एसके सूद और IG एमएस मल्ही…देखिए 👇 pic.twitter.com/2JRgHagW7K
— Jitender Bhardwaj (@journo_jitendra) March 20, 2026
NFFU Benefits at Core of OGAS Demand
A major part of the demand concerns Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU).
Singh said NFFU was recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission for all organised Group A services and should therefore apply equally to CAPF cadre officers after the Supreme Court verdict.
He added that the court had specifically directed revision of Recruitment Rules within six months.
Cadre Review Ordered by Supreme Court Yet to Materialise
According to Singh, the Supreme Court also ordered –
- Revision of recruitment rules
- Cadre review
- Reduction of IPS deputation up to IG level in phased manner
Veterans say these directions remain incompletely implemented.
IPS Deputation Quotas Remain Major Flashpoint
Mr Singh highlighted current deputation ratios:
- Around 20% posts at DIG rank reserved for IPS officers
- Around 50% posts at IG rank reserved for IPS officers
He argued that this continues to block internal leadership growth.
Reciprocal Deputation Model Proposed
To address the imbalance, Singh suggested reciprocal movement between CAPF and IPS.
His proposal –
- If IPS officers come into CAPFs, CAPF officers should also get equivalent outside deputation opportunities
He said this would improve –
- Fairness
- Job enrichment
- Inter-service coordination
S K Sood Calls CAPF Bill 2026 “Deeply Unfortunate”
S K Sood, former ADG of Border Security Force, strongly criticised the proposed legislation.
He said if implemented in current form, the bill may effectively dilute the Supreme Court ruling.
According to Sood, the move appears aimed at neutralising gains secured by CAPF officers through judicial intervention.
CAPF Leadership Should Rise from Within, Says Sood
While acknowledging IPS officers’ competence, Sood argued that CAPF officers possess deeper operational understanding in force-specific areas.
He said leadership from within would better reflect –
- Ground realities
- Personnel needs
- Operational requirements
He added that current top-level leadership often lacks direct field familiarity with CAPF-specific demands.
Government Yet to Act on Supreme Court Directions, Say Veterans
Sood said the Supreme Court had clearly directed the Department of Personnel and Training to grant full Group A treatment and seek views of personnel.
According to him, no meaningful action has followed.
Instead, he described the CAPF Bill as a hostile administrative response.
Vikash Chandra Says Cadre Officers Lack Voice Before Government
Former BSF IG Vikash Chandra said cadre officers lack direct channels to present concerns before policymakers.
He noted that despite dedicating their careers to CAPFs, cadre officers still do not reach top leadership positions due to structural limitations.
Present Strength and Vacancy Situation in CAPFs
Current force statistics discussed by veterans include –
- Total CAPF strength: about 10 lakh personnel
- Group A cadre officers: around 13,000
- Vacancies across ranks: nearly 93,000
These figures, they argued, make cadre reforms urgent.
Supreme Court Verdict of May 23, 2025
On May 23, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that Group A Executive Cadre officers of CAPFs are Organised Group A Services for all purposes.
The judgment also directed –
- Progressive reduction of IPS deputation up to IG level within two years
- Cadre review within six months
- Service rule reforms
Review Petition Dismissed in October 2025
The Ministry of Home Affairs challenged the verdict.
However, on October 28, 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed the review petition, making the ruling final.
Contempt Petition and Cabinet Approval of CAPF Bill
After retired CAPF officers filed contempt proceedings over non-implementation, the MHA informed the court on March 9, 2026 that statutory intervention was under consideration.
The very next day, on March 10, 2026, the Union Cabinet approved the Central Armed Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026.
This sequence has further intensified concerns among veterans.
Why This Issue Matters Nationally
Veterans insist that any structural change affecting CAPFs has consequences beyond service matters because these forces are responsible for:
- Border security
- Counter-insurgency
- Election deployment
- Internal law and order support
They argue that morale and career fairness directly influence operational effectiveness.
