The Standing Committee on Defence (Chair: Mr. Jual Oram) submitted its report on the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023 on July 21, 2023.  The Bill seeks to empower the Commander-in-Chief or Officer-in-Command of Inter-services Organisations to exercise disciplinary or administrative control over the service personnel under their command, irrespective of their service.  Existing Inter-services Organisations will be deemed to have been constituted under the Bill.  The central government may constitute an Inter-services Organisation, which has personnel belonging to at least two of the three services: the army, the navy, and the air force.  The Committee agreed with the provisions of the Bill.  Certain key observations include:

Application to other forces: The Bill empowers the central government to notify any force raised and maintained in India to which the Bill will apply.   This would be in addition to army, navy, and air force personnel.  The Committee noted that this provision aims to address military exigencies, which may require placing other forces for operation along with the army, navy, or air force.  In normal circumstances, the provisions of the Bill will not apply to personnel of forces, other than the three defence services, attached to an Inter-services Organisation.  The Committee recommended that the requisite notification should be issued at the earliest once the Act is in force.

Conclusion of proceedings: The Committee was informed that a fixed timeline cannot be prescribed for conclusion of cases brought before the heads of Inter-services Organisations.  It recommended devising ways and means for expeditious completion of proceedings in all cases brought before the heads of Inter-services Organisations.