NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed the Assam Rifles Bill seeking to inculcate greater discipline among personnel of this specialised counter-insurgency force and ensure proper grievance redress mechanism by introducing clauses identical to those in the Army Act.

The Bill consolidates and amends the 63-year-old Assam Rifles Act and provides for death penalty for sleeping on the post or being intoxicated during action against the enemy.

Such a move was required because the Assam Rifles has grown from five battalions in 1950 to a force comprising over 52,000 personnel in 46 battalions with the area of operations having grown commensurately.

The Bill proposed a grievance redress mechanism, including a general court of at least five officers advised by a specialist law officer for serious offences and a three-member court for minor offences. All judgments would have to be democratically delivered. There would be no extended detention without trial, and investigations would have to begin within 48 hours.

Special report

The officer concerned would have to file a special report if the detention exceeds eight days. It also prescribes statutory protection for acts done by the personnel in discharging their duty.

The legislation also corrects other infirmities such as bringing under its ambit cadre officers of Assam Rifles. While 80 per cent of the officer strength is from the Army and is covered by the Army Act, disciplinary matters concerning the remaining cadre officers is covered by the Central Civil Service Rules which are not designed to deal with matters peculiar to a combat force.

Replying to the discussion in which several members appealed for fair treatment to personnel of the security forces, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said they had a well-structured mechanism like the military.

Former Chief Election Commissioner M. S. Gill and Mati Lal Sarkar (Communist Party of India - Marxist) said the jawans of the paramilitary forces suffered from acute stress. Ravi Shankar Prasad (Bharatiya Janata Party) expressed concern over the misuse of some of the provisions.

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