Through a Gazette notice, the government announced that the Inter-Services Organisations (ISOs) (Command, Control, and Discipline) Act would go into effect on May 10, 2024. Both Houses of Parliament passed the measure during the Monsoon Session of 2023 and assented to by the President on August 15, 2023, to strengthen the effective command, control, and efficient working of the ISOs.
Highlights of the Act
- The Inter-Services Organizations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act for the central government authorises the establishment of an inter-services organisation.
- The act governs existing inter-services institutions such as the National Defence Academy, the Defence Space Agency, and the Andaman and Nicobar Command.
- According to the Act, individuals from at least two of the three services—the army, navy, and air force—must be included in any inter-services organisation the central government establishes or forms. An officer-in-command will lead this organisation.
- Another option for the inter-services organisation is the Joint Services Command, which is made up of Air Force, Army, and Navy units or troops and is led by an Officer-in-Command or Commander-in-Chief.
- It seeks to give the Officer-in-Command or Commander-in-Chief of Inter-services Organisations the authority to manage subordinates from different services.
- Therefore, the proposed bill’s purpose is to give the officer-in-command or commander-in-chief of interservice organisations the authority to administer and discipline any service members under their supervision, regardless of their branch of the armed forces.
- The Air Force Act of 1950, the Army Act of 1950, and the Navy Act of 1957 now govern the service people of the three services. Only officers of the relevant service are authorised to impose disciplinary measures on service members by the applicable acts.
- The Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act thus gives the heads of inter-services organisations the authority to effectively command, control, and discipline the personnel of all services attached under their command without changing the relevant acts of the services.
Justification for the law
Three different laws for three different services
- The Air Force Act of 1950, the Army Act of 1950, and the Navy Act of 1957 are the three distinct statutes that each oversee a different branch of the Indian armed forces.
- These laws restrict the authority to impose discipline on individuals covered by the relevant act to an officer of the same service.
- An officer in the Air Force is not legally permitted to reprimand an Army or Navy member, and vice versa.
Disciplinary Powers’ Restrictions
- The implication is that the officer-in-command of any other inter-services body and the commander-in-chief of a combined services command are not granted disciplinary authority under the existing legislative framework.
Costs in terms of money and time
- Employees must be returned to their parent service for any administrative or disciplinary action, just like in the current system; this takes time and money.
Obstacles to the Fast Case Disposition Process
- When employees from separate services are involved in disciplinary or administrative proceedings, several proceedings under the relevant Service Acts must be started. This impacts the standard of discipline and slows down the processing of cases.
Effects of the Act
- The theatre command system is a suggested organisational structure for the Indian armed forces. Its goal is to improve inter-service coordination between the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
- Rather than each service functioning independently, the aim is to merge into bigger units known as theatre commands, making them in charge of particular geographical areas.
- It seeks to enhance coordination among the many services and help remove redundancy, producing a force that is more effective and efficient and can react to security threats faster.
The act also aims to enhance the management of the theatre commands once operational.
Additional advantages
- quicker case resolution
- Savings on both time and money by eliminating multiple proceedings
- Increased cooperation between members of the armed forces
