Karnataka introduces 5-year cooling period for police officers in city posts

Once officers complete five years in a city, they will be transferred outside city jurisdiction and must serve in other non-urban units for a minimum of five years before being eligible to return to a city.

The measure is seen as an attempt to prevent police officers from hogging prime executive posts in cities by using money and political influence.

DSPs will also have to serve in non-executive posts for a minimum of two years to be eligible for consideration for executive posts for two years, while inspectors must serve one year in a non-executive post before being eligible for an executive role for two years.

DSPs and inspectors will be required to serve for two years in non-executive roles soon after promotion to the rank of DSP and police inspector, as per the August 1 order.

The order also states that police officers facing corruption or disciplinary proceedings will not be eligible for executive positions in the state.

Earlier this year, the Congress government passed a Bill to empower the state police to transfer officers up to the rank of deputy superintendent for misconduct, negligence, dereliction of duty and acts of moral turpitude.

The Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill, 2026, empowered the Police Establishment Board comprising senior police officers to transfer officers who committed dereliction of duty or misconduct without waiting for the two-year minimum tenure mandated by law.

This was done because the Congress government in 2024 introduced a law to ensure police officers in operational roles in the state have a minimum two-year tenure instead of one year.

The previous minimum tenure of one year for police officers was considered a hindrance to law enforcement because police transfers have often been alleged to be politically dictated and not subject to the wishes of the police top brass.