The Delhi High Court has granted 12 weeks to the Union government to decide on whether to scrap or retain the dual control structure for Assam Rifles, which comes under both the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
About:
The order was passed on a petition filed by Assam Rifles Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association. Its plea contends that dual control prejudices the personnel of the force.
Assam Rifles is one of the six central armed police forces (CAPFs) under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The other forces being the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
History: Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force raised way back in 1835 in British India as a militia to protect British tea estates and its settlements from the raids of the NE tribes. The force was first known as Cachar Levy. It was reorganised later as Assam Frontier Force as its role was expanded.
Mandate: It is tasked with the maintenance of law and order in the North East along with the Indian Army and also guards the Indo-Myanmar border in the region.
Parent agency: It is the only paramilitary force with a dual control structure.
While the administrative control of the force is with the MHA, its operational control is with the Indian Army, which is under the MoD.
This means that salaries and infrastructure for the force is provided by the MHA, but the deployment, posting, transfer and deputation of the personnel is decided by the Army.
Administration: All its senior ranks, from DG to IG and sector headquarters, are manned by officers from the Army. The force is commanded by Lieutenant General from the Indian Army.
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