In a positive step to infuse a greater sense of discipline and accountability, Centre has brought the country's largest paramilitary force CRPF under the ambit of ”Security Force Court” (SFC) provisions for dealing with the disciplinary action against its group ”A” officers in case of defaulting in their conduct or incidents of violations.
CRPF, though a highly professional paramilitary force, has been so far following the CCS (central civil services) Rules as applicable to the civil and non-belt-force employees of the central government.
Over 3.25 lakh-personnel force is under the administrative and operational control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is often deployed to deal with internal security, law and order situations and for maintaining peace, which the force has been performing commendably. May it be Naxalites, North-East or Kashmir; the CRPF has written with their blood countless stories of valour, bravery and sacrifices through and through. The functioning and assignments of the force are challenging and more or less similar to that of Army and other Security forces.
Thus to keep a high tradition of professionalism and discipline it has been felt at a certain level and to bring the force at par with other armed forces. An order on August 23 was issued directing the to “take immediate action for incorporating the provisions of security force court in its acts and rules for disciplinary action against Group ”A” officers.”
This was necessary as disciplinary proceedings being conducted against the officers of the force was under the CCS (classification, control and appeal) Rules, 1965 and they were taking “a very long time to reach the conclusion”.
It reasoned that the officers of other central armed police forces (CAPFs) like the BSF, ITBP and SSB were facing disciplinary action under the ”security force court” procedures and such cases concluded there in a “short period of time.”
According to officials, the ”security force court” system is a stricter and stringent system of initiating disciplinary action and adjudication against officers in uniform with provisions for constitution of a ”general force court” that has the powers to arrest, detain and imprison the accused during the course of proceedings.
The ‘General Force Court' can also order reduction in rank, forfeit pay and allowances, impose fines and issue reprimands to the accused officer as punishment after completion of proceedings before it.
Such decisions, however, have an appellate mechanism too.
A large number of disciplinary action cases of officers in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) pertained to “unauthorized absence or desertion” from duty and these were in process and taking a long time to conclude.
Security Force Court provisions by the CRPF will help in “initiating disciplinary action against the delinquent officers, so that such cases are finalized within minimum time.
The CRPF is designated as the lead internal security force of the country and it has three primary theatres of operations — conducting anti-Naxal operations in Left Wing Extremism affected states, counter-terrorist combat in Jammu and Kashmir and anti-insurgency duties in the north-eastern states.
It is also the single largest force that is deployed across the country for conduct of general, assembly and other elections apart from rendering assistance to state police forces in maintaining law and order, riot control, perimeter security of some important installations and also providing VIP security to high-risk personalities.
