Extension of BSF territorial jurisdiction aimed at empowering it to discharge border guarding duties more effectively: MoS Rai

The extension in the territorial jurisdiction of Border Security Force in some states is aimed at empowering the BSF to discharge its border guarding duties more effectively, Minister of State Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The extension in territorial jurisdiction of the Border Security Force in some states is aimed at empowering the BSF to discharge its border guarding duties more effectively, Minister of State Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

"The extension in the territorial jurisdiction of BSF in some states is aimed at empowering the BSF to discharge its border guarding duties more effectively in the wake of the use of technology like Dynamic Remotely Operated Navigation," MoS Rai said.

Earlier in November, BSF said that the enhanced jurisdiction will help BSF to strengthen the hands of the police.

"The enhanced jurisdiction will help BSF to strengthen the hands of the police. This is an enabling provision that is aimed at strengthening and complementing the efforts of the state police. BSF has been acting in close coordination with police to conduct joint operations including joint depth area patrolling, deploying joint nakas etc and establishing of anti-human trafficking units at different places along the Indo-Bangladesh border," reads the statement issued by BSF.

The Centre, earlier in the month of October had empowered the Border Security Force (BSF) to conduct searches, arrest suspects and make seizures up to an area of 50 km inside Indian territory from the International Border (IB) along India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders.

The BSF, which was only empowered to take action up to 15 kilometres in the states of Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam, has now been authorised to extend its jurisdiction up to 50 km without any hurdle or permission either from central or state governments.

However, its jurisdiction has been cut short by 20 km in the five northeastern states-- Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya-- where it had jurisdiction up to 80 km. Similarly in Gujarat, the BSF's jurisdiction has been curtailed from 80 to 50 km. In Rajasthan, the BSF's area of jurisdiction will remain the same at 50 km.

( With inputs from ANI )