‘Denied house for being SC/ST’: Karnataka Police orders urgent housing for officers facing caste bias
Allegedly denied rental accommodation on caste grounds, several lower-rank Karnataka police personnel said they were forced to stay on the outskirts, making it difficult to report for duty on time.
The police said a dhoti was found near Prabhakar’s bed and is suspected to have been used in the crime. (AI-generated image) Several lower-rank Karnataka police personnel belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Bengaluru and other parts of the state have alleged caste-based discrimination in the rental housing market, claiming that landlords often refuse accommodation after learning about their caste identity.
The issue has now prompted the state police headquarters to direct authorities to prioritise allotment of police quarters for personnel facing such difficulties.
In a circular issued on Monday, Additional Director General of Police (Grievances and Human Rights) Devajyoti Ray, on behalf of the director general and inspector general of police (DGP and IGP), said concerns over caste-based discrimination in rental housing were raised during a government assurance committee meeting held at the Vidhana Soudha on April 28.
The committee noted that several SC/ST personnel were allegedly denied rental accommodation on caste grounds, leaving them with limited housing options. This, the circular said, was affecting punctuality and causing hardship, particularly for lower-rank personnel posted across the state. These personnel were reportedly forced to stay on the outskirts, making it difficult for them to report for duty on time.
“In this regard, if police officers/staff working in the respective units submit representations stating that they are being denied rental accommodation on the basis of caste, such applications shall be examined/reviewed and action shall be taken on priority to allot vacant government quarters,” the circular stated.
At present, police quarters are allotted primarily on seniority.
Mutual distrust complicates housing access
Sources said the issue is also linked to mutual distrust between landlords and tenants. Some landlords reportedly fear legal action under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the event of disputes related to rent or eviction, leading to reluctance in renting out houses to SC/ST tenants.
“As a result, many SC/ST tenants face difficulties in securing rental accommodation and resolving tenancy disputes, while landlords remain apprehensive about possible legal consequences if conflicts escalate,” a senior official from the State Human Rights Commission said.
A senior police official, however, clarified that suggesting SC/ST police personnel are confined only to lower ranks would be incorrect. The official noted that officers from these communities are represented across all levels in the department in line with constitutional provisions and reservation policies.
At the same time, he acknowledged that personnel in lower ranks are more likely to face practical difficulties securing rented accommodation due to social constraints. He said allotment of police quarters has so far been carried out on a seniority and first-come, first-served basis, and the same system will continue even after the recent circular.
However, he added that if genuine cases of housing discrimination are brought to the department’s notice, they will examine them case-by-case and extend support, including efforts to provide police quarters wherever feasible.
Officers also said that such cases had not been reported or formally noticed so far, but following the issuance of the circular, the issue has now been brought to the department’s attention.
Government promises expansion of housing pool
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Home Minister G Parameshwara said nearly 40 per cent of the department’s staff had already been allotted quarters and that the remaining personnel would be accommodated in a phased manner under the Police Gruha scheme.
“We are allocating funds every year for the construction of new buildings, and once the proposal comes from the department, we will take it up on priority. Many police quarters still exist in buildings constructed during the British era, and several of them are now in a dilapidated condition in Bengaluru. We are gradually vacating such old structures and will begin constructing new buildings in their place,” he said.
“At present, around 40 per cent of our police personnel are getting quarters, and we will continue to increase that number through various police housing programmes. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that nearly 90 per cent of police personnel get housing facilities. Once the proposal is submitted, we will consider it on priority and take it forward accordingly,” the minister added.
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