In a move to have a say in police officers’ transfers and the department’s administration, the state government tabled the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill-2013 in the Legislative Assembly amidst opposition from BJP members on Monday.
Home Minister K J George said the government was keen to amend the law to comply with Supreme Court directions on police reforms and to ensure effective functioning of the Police Establishment Board.
After the amendment, the Board will have the Director General of Police as the chairman, three senior officers not below the rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) as members and the ADGP (administration) as member secretary.
At present, senior most DGPs are in the Board.
George said the amendment to Section 20F of the Act stated that officers who are in operational duties or such other duties shall have a minimum tenure of one year.
The Board shall have powers to transfer the officer before the expiry of the minimum tenure consequent to promotion to higher post, conviction or charges framed by the court of law, imposition of punishment of dismissal, removal, discharge or compulsory retirement from service and other such factors.
George said the Board will decide on transfers, postings, promotions and other service-related matters of officers below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
It will also make recommendations to the government regarding postings and transfers of officers above the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police.Former Home minister R Ashok said the amendment giving provisions to the government to pick three among the senior ADGPs is a violation of the SC direction. He felt that this would give scope for police officers to challenge the amendment in the court.
When informed that the BJP government had prepared similar bill that was about to be tabled in Belgaum session, Ashok maintained that he dropped the plan to introduce these bills as he realised that it would lead to violations of Supreme Court directions.
MLA Govind Karjol said that the government should reintroduce the Bill by making it mandatory that one among the three ADGPs should be from SC/ST, as this amendment involves promotions of officers.
Meanwhile, JD(S) MLA Y S V Dutta said that the amendment should not become a political weapon in the transfer of police officers. George said the government will consider Karjol’s suggestion to include SC officers in the three-member committee of Police Establishment Board.