"President's Rule Through Back Door": Akali Chief To PM Over BSF's Extended Jurisdiction

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue and pointed out the urgent need to review the Centre's directive to extend the territorial jurisdiction of the Border Security Force.

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to roll back the Centre's decision of extending the Border Security Force's jurisdiction to over fifty kilometres in three states from the barbed wire fence with Pakistan.

Talking to reporters, the Shiromani Akali Dal chief said he has written to the Prime Minister on this issue and pointed out the urgent need to review the Centre's directive to extend the territorial jurisdiction of the Border Security Force.

The Union government recently amended the BSF Act empowering the border guarding force to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a 50 km stretch, up from the existing 15 km, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam.

Mr Badal said he had reminded the Prime Minister that he had been one of the most vocal champions of the federal principle and had always stood for genuine fiscal and political autonomy to the states.