Punjab govt moves Supreme Court challenging Centre's move to extend BSF jurisdiction

In a key development, the Charanjit Singh Channi-led Punjab government on Saturday approached the Supreme Court over Border Security Force (BSF) jurisdiction in the State. The BJP-led central government recently had amended the BSF Act to authorise the force to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a 50-km stretch, extending the earlier15-km limit, from the international border in Punjab as well as West Bengal and Assam.

Channi government moves Supreme Court over BSF jurisdiction

Confirming the same, State's Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu congratulated the Punjab government for being the first to challenge the notification on the extension of the BSF jurisdiction in the Supreme Court. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Sidhu added that the fight to retain the principles embodied in the constitution- to retain the federal structure and autonomy of the states have 'begun. "Notice issued to the Centre to respond," Sidhu further stated in his tweet.

The development comes weeks after the Punjab Vidhan Sabha passed a resolution against the Centre’s notification that extended the jurisdiction of the BSF. The resolution was adopted by the state assembly, in the absence of the Bharatiya Janata Party while all other parties, including the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), supported it.

'Extension of BSF jurisdiction-a calculated move' 

This development comes amid the Central government time and again clarifying the motive behind the government extending BSF jurisdiction. On Tuesday, while responding to the questions related to the BSF jurisdiction, the Ministery of Home Affairs in a written response emphasised that the extension of the security forces’ territorial jurisdiction on the border areas in some states is a calculated move, which is implemented to provide more power to armed forces to maintain strict vigilance against the movement of drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles across the border by anti-national forces and also to prohibit smuggling.

The Home Ministry had extended the jurisdiction from 15 km to 50 km along the borders in Punjab as well as that of Assam and West Bengal in the excise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 129 of the Border Security Force Act, 1948 (47 of 1968).