The Supreme Court on Friday decided to hear a suit filed by Punjab accusing the Centre of extending the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF), allowing it to investigate “all cognisable offences” occurring within a radius of 50 km from the India-Pakistan border.
Appearing before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, advocate Shadan Farasat, for Punjab, said the Centre had virtually stripped the State and its police of their powers. The Constitution gives the State control of the police and public order functions.
The suit, filed in 2021, said the Centre had extended the jurisdiction of the BSF from 15 km to 50 km by invoking Section 139 of the BSF Act, 1968. The provision authorises the Centre to confer powers and duties on members of the BSF force in respect of any Central Acts. The purpose of the particular provision was to gain a more effective control on trans-border crimes in conjunction and co-operation with the State police.
