In a significant ruling concerning the administration of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), the Supreme Court has dismissed a review petition filed by the Union government, reaffirming its earlier judgment that mandates a progressive reduction in the deputation of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to these forces. The order, dated October 28, was issued by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan.

The Supreme Court stated, "We have carefully gone through the contents of the Review Petition and the papers appended therewith and are satisfied that no case for review of the judgment dated 23.05.2025 is made out. The Review Petition is, accordingly, dismissed". The original verdict, delivered on May 23 by a bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka (since retired) and Ujjal Bhuyan, directed that the deputation posts of IPS officers in the Senior Administrative Grade (SAG), or up to the rank of Inspector General in the CAPFs, should be progressively reduced within a period of two years.

The initial judgment arose from a petition filed in 2021 by Group A officers of the CAPFs, who sought Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU), cadre review and restructuring, and amendments to recruitment rules to eliminate IPS deputation and facilitate internal promotions up to the SAG level. Currently, 20% of posts at the Deputy Inspector General rank and 50% of posts at the Inspector General rank in CAPFs are reserved for IPS officers.

The court's May ruling also instructed the Union government to complete a long-pending cadre review in all CAPFs—ITBP, BSF, CRPF, CISF and SSB—within six months; the review was due in 2021. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) was directed to take appropriate action within three months of receiving the action taken report from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding the cadre review and revision of service/recruitment rules.

The Supreme Court's decision is expected to significantly curtail the dominance of IPS officers within the CAPFs, potentially benefiting approximately 13,000 CAPF officers through faster promotions and reduced stagnation. The court had previously observed that stagnation among CAPF personnel could adversely impact the morale of the forces, especially considering the demanding conditions under which they serve. The bench emphasized that while the Centre's policy of having IPS officers in CAPFs is a matter of governance, the legitimate concerns of cadre officers must also be addressed.

The Centre had argued that the deputation of IPS officers was necessary to maintain the effective operational readiness of the forces and to ensure Centre-State coordination. However, the court's May ruling stated that reducing IPS deputation would allow CAPF officers greater participation in decision-making within their organizations, ensuring institutional parity and boosting morale across the forces.

With the dismissal of the review petition, the Union government is now required to comply with the Supreme Court's earlier directives, ensuring that the cadre review and reduction in IPS deputations are completed within the prescribed timeline. The apex court also declined the Centre's request for an open court hearing. The last legal recourse available to the Centre is now a curative petition, though its chances of success are considered slim.