Retired CISF personnel entitled to purchase liquor from CAPF Liquor Canteen: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court has declared that retired Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel are entitled for purchase of liquor through Central Liquor Management System (CLMS) from CRPF Liquor Canteen or any other Liquor Canteens of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

Before the high court, CISF Ex-Service Welfare Association had filed a petition seeking to quash the notifications by which Ex-CISF and Ex-ITBP personnel were not allowed to purchase liquor either from Pallippuram CRPF Camp or Thiruvananthapuram BSF Camp.

Court was told that the benefit of welfaremeasures extended by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the retired persons of the CAPFs cannot be denied by the Director General of CISF. Once a uniformed soldier from a CAPF retires from service, the Director Generals of the services have no power to curtail the benefits granted to them by the MHA. T

A single judge bench of Justice N Nagaresh noted that the petitioners before it were retired personnel of CISF which is a Central Armed Police Force. "The Government of India has a consistent policy that men in uniform be provided with the best of facilities both while in service and after retirement. Canteen facility is a major facility provided by the Government to the Navy, Army, Air Force and CAPF. The Navy, Army and Air Force personnel are allowed to purchase provisions from Defence Canteens and Canteen Store Depots across the country", it further noted.

"Considering the demands from the members of CAPFs for similar facility, the Government of India decided to extend similar benefits and Central Police Forces Canteen System was introduced by the Government for the welfare of retired and serving personnel of CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, BSF and Assam Rifles. The objective of Central Police Forces Canteen System (CPFCS) is to provide consumer goods of wide range and variety to the Force personnel including ex-members of the CPF personnel and their families at desirable locations, at least possible rates without compromising the quality and through a system which can generate maximum synergistic advantage by making best use of competitive market mechanism and having an open collaborative approach on source generation / sharing", the High Court further noted in its judgement.

High Court has said that when liquor is supplied through the canteens to retired personnel of other CAPFs, denial of the said benefits to the retired personnel of CISF is grossly discriminatory.

"..all the wings of Central Armed Police Forces are discharging duties which can be described as sensitive in view of the national security requirements. It cannot be said that CISF personnel require a different yardstick in the matter of security and discipline. Denial of the benefit to the retired CISF personnel offends Article 14 of the Constitution of India. Secondly, the petitioners are retired CISF personnel and supply of liquor through canteens to retired CAPF personnel cannot impact the discipline of the Force and that too, of CISF alone. The further reason that similar demand will arise from other sectors cannot be a reason to discriminate the petitioners", the single judge bench further said.

Case Title: CISF EX-SERVICE WELFARE ASSOCIATION vs. Union of India

Judgment Date: October 15, 2025

Bench: Justice Nagaresh