In an affidavit in the court, the MHA informed that statutory intervention pertained to enacting a law on the issue of IPS deputation to CAPFs and granting Organised Group A Services (OGAS) status to paramilitary officers.

On February 9, the MHA filed the affidavit while responding to a batch of contempt petitions filed against Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan by retired CAPF officers, following the alleged non-implementation of the Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling on reducing IPS deputation in the Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) in CAPFs in the next two years. The contempt petitions were filed on December 3, 6, and 9, 2025.

IPS Deputation In CAPFS

On May 23, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that Group A Executive Cadre Officers of CAPFs are Organised Group A Services for all purposes. Besides directing to progressively reduce the IPS deputation in CAPFS up to the level of I-Gs in the next two years, the apex court also directed a time-bound review of cadre and service rules in six months.

The MHA had filed a review petition challenging the ruling, but the Supreme Court dismissed it on October 28, 2025, making the judgment final.

During the hearing on February 10, after the Additional Solicitor-General (ASG) informed the court about the statutory intervention, a Bench of Justices, B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, issued a notice to the Union Home Secretary and listed the matter for further hearing on March 10.

As per the existing rules established through an executive order, 20% of posts in the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and 50% of posts in the rank of I-G in CAPFs are reserved for IPS officers.

Benefit For CAPF Officers

It is expected that nearly 13,000 CAPF officers will benefit from the court’s ruling, as they will get faster promotions and overcome the issue of stagnation. The MHA serves as the cadre-controlling authority for both the IPS and CAPFs.

The SC ruling also required the MHA to amend the service rules of CAPFs, complete cadre review, and extend OGAS benefits to CAPF officers within six months.

Cadre Review

The cadre review is typically undertaken every five years to estimate human resources requirements, plan recruitment to avoid future promotional blocks, harmonise the functional needs with the legitimate career expectations of its members, and enhance the effectiveness of the service. The last cadre review of CAPFs was done in 2016.

Following MHA’s letter on November 27, 2025, the DGs of CAPFs constituted internal committees comprising IPS and CAPF officers to finalise the cadre review. However, a CAPF officer said that the cadre review was meaningless in the absence of amended service rules.

The CRPFs include the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the Assam Rifles.