Home Ministry Issued New Order Regarding BSF Jurisdiction

Home Ministry issued a new order, BSF got the right to act up to 50 km in the border states.

With a view to maintaining the policy of zero-tolerance against terrorism and cross-border crimes.

The Center empowered the Border Security Force (BSF) to conduct searches, arrests, and seizures of suspects up to 50 km from the International Border.

This arrangement will be applicable on the international border along India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh border.

The jurisdiction of the BSF has been expanded by a new order issued by the Home Ministry earlier this week.

This has allowed BSF officers to take action to check illegal activities against national security in 10 states and two union territories.

Officers will be able to make arrests, searches, and seizures without a warrant.

However, this order may lead to administrative and political disputes in some states.

As per the latest order, the BSF, which was empowered to conduct operations up to 15 km from the border in Punjab, Bengal, and Assam.

BSF will now be mandated to search, seize and arrest people indulging in suspicious activities within 50 km without any obstruction or permission.

Discount has been received. For this, it will not have to take any permission from the central or state governments.

However, its jurisdiction has been cut by 30 km in five northeastern states- Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. There its jurisdiction was up to 80 km earlier.

Although in some states its jurisdiction was also cut.

Similarly, the jurisdiction of BSF in Gujarat has been reduced from 80 to 50 km. In Rajasthan, the BSF’s jurisdiction will remain the same at 50 km as before.

Under CrPC the lowest rank officer of BSF can now perform and discharge his powers and duties without order and warrant of magistrate.

A BSF officer now has the power to arrest any person who commits any cognizable offense involves, or against whom a reasonable complaint has been made, or reliable information has been received.