CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday objected to the home ministry’s decision to expand Border Security Force’s (BSF) powers of arrest, search and seizure to a 50-km belt in Punjab.
“I strongly condemn the GoI’s unilateral decision to give additional powers to BSF within 50-km belt running along the international borders, which is a direct attack on the federalism. I urge the Union home minister Amit Shah to immediately rollback this irrational decision,” he tweeted.

Congress MP Manish Tewari also tweeted: “MHA Notification enhancing operational mandate of BSF, 15 to 50km’s in Punjab,West Bengal &Assam transgresses upon Constitutional Public order & Policing remit of States Half of Punjab will now fall under BSF jurisdiction @CHARANJITCHANNI must oppose it.”

He added in another tweet, “Mischievous part of Section 139 of BSF Act ‘…or of any cognisable offence punishable under any other Central Act; or punishable under any other Central Act..,’ It allows GOI to institutionalise an alternative policing paradigm. Was Punjab Govt consulted?