BENGALURU: For the past decade, a bizarre situation has unfolded in several sub-registrar offices across Karnataka. Sub-registrars, after being promoted to administrative roles, have refused to vacate their original posts while still drawing the higher salaries of their new posts.
The Stamps and Registration department finally ended it this week by ordering them to work only in the positions they have been transferred long ago.
The sub-registrar post is a Class C one while the Headquarter Assistant (HQA, equivalent in rank to Assistant Commissioner) is a Class A posting which has a much better pay scale.
Four sub-registrars who were promoted as HQAs in Bengaluru in 2014, continued to work in their earlier position only. A source told TNIE, “They were continuing to work in Group C post while collecting Group A salary. They have caused a huge loss to the department over the years. Finally, it is being set right.”
The order, dated March 21, has ordered the following sub-registrars promoted a decade ago to adhere to their orders: HC Lokesh to report at Gandhi Nagar District Registrar Office instead of continuing to work at Rajarajeshwari Nagar office; CV Sumana to report at IGR Office at Khandaya Bhavan instead of Mahadevapura Sub-Registrar Office while Madhumalathi will report at District Registrar Office at Jayanagar instead of Chamarajpet. In an earlier order in December 2024, KG Chikkapedanna was transferred from KR Pura SR office to District Registrar Office, Ramanagara and he joined as ordered.
Inspector General of Registration and Commissioner of Stamps, KV Dayananda, confirmed the four individuals had been asked recently to work only at their promoted posts.
Asked how they were able to manage working in this fashion for a decade within a government set-up, a reliable source said, “They managed to exert a lot of pressure on the department using influential people. There was nothing that could be done against them earlier.”
Elaborating on their desire to demote themselves, he added, “It is an open secret that in the past sub registrars could make good money on a daily basis. Hence, they refused to budge from that role despite their promotion.”