4. Constitution of the Force.–(1) There shall be an armed force of the Union called the Sashastra
Seema Bal for ensuring the security of the borders of India and performing such other duties as may be
entrusted to it by the Central Government.
*. Vide notification No. S.O. 3912(E), dated 30th October, 2019, this Act is made applicable to the Union territory of Jammu
and Kashmir and the Union territory of Ladakh.
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(2) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Force shall be constituted in such manner as may be
prescribed and the conditions of service of the members of the Force shall be such as may be prescribed.
5. Control, direction, etc.–(1) The general superintendence, direction and control of the Force shall
vest in, and be exercised by, the Central Government and subject thereto and to the provisions of this Act
and the rules made in this behalf, the command and supervision of the Force shall vest in an officer to be
appointed by the Central Government as the Director-General of the Force.
(2) The Director-General shall, in the discharge of his duties under this Act, be assisted by such
number of Additional Directors-General, Inspectors-General, Deputy Inspectors-General, Additional
Deputy Inspectors-General, Commandants and other officers, as may be appointed by the Central
Government.
6. Enrolment.–The persons to be enrolled to the Force, the mode of enrolment and the procedure for
enrolment shall be such as may be prescribed.
7. Liability for service outside India.–Every member of the Force shall be liable to serve in any part
of India as well as outside India.
8. Resignation and withdrawal from the post.–No member of the Force shall be at liberty,–
(a) to resign his appointment during the term of his engagement; or
(b) to withdraw himself from all or any of the duties of his appointment, except with the previous
permission in writing of the prescribed authority.
9. Tenure of service under the Act.–Every person subject to this Act shall hold office during the
pleasure of the President.
10. Termination of service by Central Government.–Subject to the provisions of this Act and the
rules, the Central Government may dismiss or remove from the service any person subject to this Act.
11. Dismissal, removal or reduction in rank by the Director-General and by other officers.–(1)
The Director-General, or any Additional Director-General or Inspector-General may dismiss or remove
from the service or reduce to a lower grade or rank any person subject to this Act other than an officer.
(2) An officer not below the rank of Deputy Inspector-General or any prescribed officer may dismiss
or remove from the service any person under his command other than an officer or a subordinate officer
of such rank as may be prescribed.
(3) Any such officer as is mentioned in sub-section (2) may reduce to a lower grade or rank any
person under his command except an officer or a subordinate officer.
(4) The exercise of any power under this section shall be subject to the provisions of this Act and the
rules.
12. Certificate of termination of service.–A subordinate officer, or an under-officer or other
enrolled person who is retired, discharged, released, removed or dismissed from the service shall be
furnished by the officer, to whose command he is subject, with a certificate in Hindi or English language
setting forth–
(a) the authority terminating his service;
(b) the cause for such termination; and
(c) the full period of his service in the Force.
13. Restrictions respecting right to form association, freedom of speech, etc.–(1) No person
subject to this Act shall, without the previous sanction in writing of the Central Government or of the
prescribed authority,–
(a) be a member of, or be associated in any way with, any trade union, labour union, political
association, or with any class of trade unions, labour unions or political associations; or
(b) be a member of, or be associated in any way with, any society, institution, association or
organisation which is not recognised as part of the Force or is not of a purely social, recreational or
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religious nature; or
(c) communicate with the press or publish or cause to be published any book, letter or other
document except where such communication or publication is in the bona fide discharge of his duties
or is of a purely literary, artistic or scientific character or is of a prescribed nature.
Explanation.–If any question arises as to whether any society, institution, association or organisation
is of a purely social, recreational or religious nature under clause (b) of this sub-section, the decision of
the Central Government thereon shall be final.
(2) No person subject to this Act shall participate in, or address, any meeting or take part in any
demonstration organised by any body of persons for any political purposes or for such other purposes as
may be prescribed.
14. Redressal of grievances of persons other than officers.–(1) Any person subject to this Act other
than an officer who deems himself wronged by any superior or other officer may complain to the officer
under whose command he is serving.
(2) When the officer complained against is the officer to whom any complaint should, under
sub-section (1), be preferred, the aggrieved person may complain to such officer's next superior officer.
(3) Every officer receiving any such complaint shall make as complete an investigation into it as may
be possible for giving full redress to the complainant, or when necessary, refer the complaint to a superior
authority.
(4)The Director-General may revise any decision made under any of the foregoing sub-sections, but,
subject thereto, such decision shall be final.
15. Redressal of grievances of officers.–Any officer who deems himself wronged by his
commanding officer or any other superior officer and who, on due application made to his commanding
officer or such other superior officer, does not receive the redress to which he considers himself entitled,
may complain to the Director-General or the Central Government through proper channel.