<h1 class="ql-align-center">Border Security Force (BSF) Jurisdiction</h1> <h2>Context:</h2> <ul><li>Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) up to 50 km inside the international borders in Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam.</li></ul> <h2>About:</h2> <ul><li>The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) claims that recent&nbsp;drone droppings of weapons from across the border&nbsp;have prompted this expansion in the jurisdiction of the BSF.</li></ul> <ul><li>The MHA has exercised its powers under the&nbsp;Border Security Force Act of 1968.</li></ul> <ul><li>While the jurisdiction increased in Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam, at the same time, the Ministry has reduced BSF’s area of operation in Gujarat from 80 km from the border to 50 km.</li></ul> <ul><li>The decision is to extend the BSF’s jurisdiction to improve operational efficiency and crack down on smuggling rackets</li></ul> <ul><li>BSF’s powers include arrest, search, and seizure, were limited to up to 15 km in these states</li></ul> <ul><li>BSF has powers in respect of:</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC)</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920</li><li class="ql-indent-1">The Passport Act, 1967</li><li class="ql-indent-1">The NDPS Act</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Arms Act</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Customs Act and certain other laws</li></ul> <h2>Border Security Force (BSF):</h2> <ul><li>The BSF is India’s border guarding organization on its&nbsp;border with Pakistan and Bangladesh.</li></ul> <ul><li>It comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs.</li></ul> <ul><li>It was raised&nbsp;in the wake of the 1965 War&nbsp;on 1 December 1965 for ensuring the security of the borders of India and for matters connected therewith.</li></ul> <ul><li>The BSF has its own cadre of officers but its head, designated as a Director-General (DG), since its raising has been an officer from the&nbsp;Indian Police Service (IPS).</li></ul>