• The Centre told the Supreme Court that it may not be feasible and advisable to have a national level security force like CISF to guard judges across the country.

• The apex court was hearing a suo motu case relating to safety and security of judges and lawyers across the country in the wake of mowing down of a judge at Dhanbad.

• Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said the issue concerning safety of judges is a serious matter. Referring to the reply of the Centre, he said a mechanism has been there and the Union ministry of home affairs, in 2007, had issued the guidelines saying that there should be special units for looking after the security of judges.

• Terming the issue as an administrative one, the SC bench asked whether the Centre was willing to raise a force like CISF or Railways Protection Force for judges and judicial officers in the country.

• The Centre said it may not be advisable or feasible to have a national level security force like CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) for judges.

• The apex court also referred to the alarming situation in the country where judicial officers and lawyers are being pressurized and intimidated, and had said there was an institutional need to create an environment where judicial officers feel safe and secure.

Central Armed Police Forces

• There are five Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) namely Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and one Central Paramilitary Force (CPMF) namely Assam Rifles (AR) under the ministry of home affairs. 

• In addition, National Security Guard (NSG) is a specialised strike force trained in the counter terrorism and anti-hijacking operations.

• Out of these, AR, BSF, ITBP and SSB are the ‘Border Guarding Forces’ while CRPF is deployed to assist the civil administration under the state governments/UT administrations in matters relating to maintenance of Public Order, internal security and counter insurgency. 

• The Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) are specialised wings of the CRPF to deal with the riots and Left Wing Extremism / insurgency. 

• CISF provides protection to vital installations of national/strategic importance.

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