Rajya Sabha passes CAPF (General Administration) 2026 amid protest from opposition

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the contentious Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026 aimed at overriding an adverse Supreme Court ruling against IPS deputation amid a walkout by the Opposition.

With its passage in the Upper House, the Bill is likely to come up in Lok Sabha on Thursday, the last day of the Budget Session.

The Bill was passed by a voice vote after a debate that saw the ruling BJP and the Opposition locking horns over the provisions of the Bill, which also attracted objections from the paramilitary officers. BJP MPs insisted that it was a much needed reform while Opposition MPs said the Supreme Court order in favour of paramilitary officers had prompted the move.

According to the Bill, 50% of Inspectors General and 67% Additional Directors General in paramilitary forces will be filled by deputation of IPS officers. The posts in the ranks of Special Director General and Director General shall be filled by deputation only, it said.

The Bill came as the Supreme Court had dismissed the union government's plea seeking a review of its 2025 verdict that directed that IPS officers' deputation in CAPFs up to the level of Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) should be "progressively reduced" in the next two years and asked for a cadre review to be carried out in six months.

Replying to the debate on the Bill, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the Bill resolves several inconsistencies in the service rules, cadre management and appointment related issues as also to boost the efficiency and morale of armed forces.

He said the paramilitary forces' domain kept on expanding due to which different rules, guidelines and administrative solutions were adopted, leading to lack of clarity and inconvenience in its implementation, and the Bill creates an umbrella structure for resolving the anomalies and streamlining its structure for better coordination.

The Opposition were unimpressed with the reply and staged a walkout after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge demanded that the Bill be sent to a Select Committee for further Parliamentary scrutiny. He claimed that the minister did not address issues related to institutionalisation of deputation, adverse impact on morale and career progression, lack of consultation and lack of concern for judicial direction.

Kharge said the Bill was making deputation permanent while limiting leadership opportunities for paramilitary officers and strengthens an unequal service structure. He also said the rigid deputation framework limits promotion opportunities and promotes stagnation in the careers of CAPF officers, which could have a negative impact on the morale of the forces.

Earlier during the debate, NCP (SP) MP Fauzia Khan said, "this is not a legislation, this is judicial invasion wearing the clothes of law. Imagine joining one of these forces as an Assistant Commandant, young, ready to serve, 16 years have passed, you have fought insurgents, you have earned your promotion and yet you have not received it."

Shiv Sena (UBT) Deputy Leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said the Bill is coming with the spirit that not only violates the Supreme Court order but also pits the IPS and paramilitary officials against each other. She said there is a need for fair promotions and equitable leadership opportunities.

Countering the Opposition MPs, BJP's Naresh Bansal said the Bill aims to reduce service-related disputes. Another BJP MP Manan Kumar Mishra called the Bill a structurally necessary reform that seeks to rationalise and modernise the administrative framework of the forces.