Karnataka govt introduces Bill to allow police top brass to transfer officers for misconduct before end of minimum tenure

The Karnataka government has introduced a Bill in the state legislature to empower the state police to transfer police officers up to the rank of deputy superintendents for misconduct, negligence, dereliction of duty, and acts of moral turpitude.

The Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was tabled in the legislative assembly on March 10 at the start of the ongoingbudgetsession.

The Bill is intended to empower the Police Establishment Board – comprising senior police officers – to transfer officers who have committed dereliction of duty or misconduct without waiting for the lapse of a minimum period of two years in a position as mandated by law.

The Bill seeks to amend Section 20F of the Karnataka Police Act with reference to the “tenure of officers in charge of police stations, circle, sub-division district and range” by incorporating a new clause of transfers of officers for “misconduct or gross negligence or dereliction of duty or an act of moral turpitude” before the end of two years.

The option of transferring police officers for misconduct, negligence, dereliction of duty, and acts of moral turpitude replaces the existing clause, which said transfers could be done on “imposition of punishment of dismissal, removal, discharge or compulsory retirement from service or of reduction to a lower rank”.

Last month, the Cabinet had cleared the Bill proposed by the Home Department.

“In such cases, orders for the transfer of officers should be issued urgently, as at present these transfers are not within the scope and competence of the competent authority.

There is a possibility of delay in submitting the proposal to the Government and in obtaining the order,” the Cabinet was informed.

Since the Police Establishment Board has the powers to appoint officers up to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, the Home Department proposed the amendment to the Karnataka Police Act, 1963, to allow the PEB to decide on transfers for dereliction of duty and misconduct.

The proposal for the PEB to carry out transfers of police officers of the rank of deputy superintendent and below for misconduct and dereliction of duty comes amid a situation where police postings are known to be politically dictated to the convenience of ministers and local legislators.

The proposal also comes amid several instances of alleged police misconduct, including arrests for corruption and even the issuance of notices under Bills that are yet to be passed.

Last year, the Congress government passed the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill, 2024, to ensure police officers in operational roles have a minimum two-year tenure instead of one year in order to have better control of law and order.

‘To build good relations with public’
This change was intended to help police officers “understand the jurisdiction in a better manner; to build good relations with the public and in detection and prevention of crime.”
The previous minimum tenure of one year for police officers was considered a hindrance to law enforcement in an environment where police transfers are politically dictated and not really subject to the wishes of the police top brass.

There has, however, been political lobbying in recent days for reverting to the old system of one-year minimum tenure.

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