A Supreme Court Bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Atul S.
Chandurkar has asked the top court’s Registry to explain why a contempt petition related to the implementation of its May 2025 judgment on cadre issues in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) was “struck off” the cause list, despite a specific judicial order directing that it be listed for hearing at 2 p.m. on September 29.
The Bench directed that the case, along with connected matters, be listed again at 2 p.m. on September 30.
Supreme Court seeks explanation from government on IPS deputation in CAPFs On September 22, the court had been unable to take up the matter due to paucity of time.
It had specifically ordered that the case be listed again on September 29 at 2 p.m. and allowed the respondents to file corrected affidavits in the meantime.
The court recorded that the matter had been listed as Item No.
32 in the cause list for September 29, but that it had subsequently been informed that the case had been struck off the list.
“Since it is a judicial order to get the case listed today at 02:00 PM, we direct listing of this case, along with the other connected matters, again tomorrow, i.e. on 30.09.2026, at 02:00 PM, with a note by the Registry, as to why the matter was struck off from the cause list despite there being a judicial order,” the court said in its order.
A Bill that secures IPS officers’ role in deputation ‘Reduce IPS deputation in CAPFs’ The proceedings pertain to the implementation of the Supreme Court’s May 23, 2025 judgment where it had asked the government to “progressively reduce the deputation of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to senior posts” in the CAPFs.
The court sought an explanation from Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and the officer had submitted a detailed affidavit on September 23 in the court explaining the government’s position.
While hearing the contempt petition filed by retired CAPF officers on September 2, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan had orally observed that there was a “strong lobby” against them, and that the cadre officers of the CAPFs are completely stifled.
Organised Group A service On May 23, 2025, a Bench of Justice A.S.
Oka and Justice Bhuyan had ruled that the deputation posts of IPS officers in the Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) or up to the rank of Inspector General in CAPFs should be “progressively reduced over a period of time, say within an outer limit of two years.” Justice Oka has since retired.
The court also ruled that Group A officers of CAPFs are “Organised Services” for “all purposes”, and asked for a time-bound review of cadre and service rules within six months.
An Organised Group A Service (OGAS) is a structured, cadre-based Group A civil service, with a defined hierarchy, promotion pathways, and cadre control, as distinct from isolated or general civil posts.
Mr.
Mohan informed the Court that since May 2025, 46 IPS officers have been brought on deputation to the CAPFs up to the SAG level.
Contempt petition As a way to circumvent the 2025 SC judgment, the government enacted the CAPFs (General Administration) Act, 2026 that was published in the Gazette on April 9.
However, five writ petitions challenging the legislation have since been filed and are scheduled for hearing before the Supreme Court on November 18.
According to the Alliance of All Ex Para-Military Forces Welfare Association, which represents the interests of former and serving personnel, the matter affects around 13,000 CAPF cadre officers.
The Alliance said that when the matter did not come up at the scheduled time on Tuesday (September 29, 2026), the senior advocate appearing in the case mentioned it before the Bench and drew attention to its removal from the cause list.
It also claimed that concerns over the circumstances surrounding the deletion and the possibility of “improper interference” in the listing process were brought before the court.
The Alliance said that the directions in the 2025 judgment have not been implemented in their entirety, leading to the contempt proceedings.
