New Delhi: In what might cause state political hacking, the Ministry of the House has extended areas under the Jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) – where the officers have the power of arrest, search and seizure, equivalent to their colleagues in the police – for 50km- Belt in West Bengal, Punjab and Assam, ran along the country’s border, from 15 km earlier.
The stretch of the border below the BSF in Gujarat was reduced to 50 km from 80 km earlier, while the area remained the same in Rajasthan at 50 km.
Like, no such limitations have been prescribed for five northeastern countries Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur or the United States J & K and Ladakh.
Section 139 of the Law of the Border Security Strength, 1968, empowers the center to notify the field of border operational mandates, from time to time.
In accordance with the latest notices issued by the Ministry of the Houses on Monday, the central government has revised the ‘schedule’ that determines the border stretch where BSF will have the search power, seizure, and arrest under actions such as passport law, NDPS Act, customs also As a criminal procedure code (CRPC) to Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Meghalaya; UTS from J & K and Ladakh; and 50km-belt in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bengal and Assam.
According to previous notification on September 22, 1969; June 11, 2012; and July 3, 2014; The ‘schedule’ area consists of Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura Meghalaya and J & K and the area in the 80 km belt in Gujarat, 50 km in Rajasthan, and 15 km in Bengal, Assam and Punjab.
The addition of extra stretching 35 km to BSF’s mandate can make two affected countries – Punjab and Bengal – ruled by non-BJP parties and lead them to question steps as encroachment on their strength and fight the federal structure.
Source BSF said it would empower its personnel to carry out operations on narcotics / weapons trade and illegal infiltration smoothly in border stretches.
Not immediately clear whether the state government was taken on board before issuing the latest notice.
However, every order carried out below section 139 from BSF ACT must be placed before each parliamentary house, which can modify or cancel it.
Each order is carried out below this section is before each parliamentary house is ongoing for 30 days which can consist of one session or in two sessions or more in a row.