Indian Parliamentary Research Service Legislative Summaries

The Sashastra Seema Bal Bill, 2006 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on July 28, 2006. The Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs (Chairperson: Smt. Sushma Swaraj) which submitted its final report on February 27, 2007 to the Rajya Sabha.

The Sashastra Seema Bal was previously known as the Special Service Bureau, which was established in 1963. In 2001, the SSB was assigned the role of border guarding force on the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders. In 2004, the name of the Special Service Bureau was changed to the Sashastra Seema Bal. The Bill establishes a self-contained statute by which the Sashastra Seema Bal may be regulated.

The Bill provides for the constitution and regulation of an armed force of the Union for ensuring the security of the borders of India and related matters. The central government will appoint the Director-General of the force under whom the general superintendence, direction and control will be vested.

Every member of the force shall be liable to serve anywhere inside or outside of India. No member of the force may resign without prior permission. Only citizens of India may constitute the force unless otherwise approved by the central government.

The Bill outlines various responsibilities, redressal of grievances, and procedures for dismissal of members.

The Bill provides for the establishment of three kinds of Force Courts: (a) General Force Courts, (b) Petty force Courts, (c) Summary Force Courts. It outlines the powers, procedures and functioning of each of these courts. It also lists various offences punishable by death and lesser penalties on conviction by a Force Court, arrest and proceedings before trial, and execution of sentences.