Buckling under pressure from Congress MLAs, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed the Home Department to put on hold the transfer of over 600 police officers announced earlier.
The MLAs had been demanding that officials favourable to them be posted in their constituencies.
It is learnt that the Chief Minister directed Home Minister K.J. George to “sort out” the issue.
Bangalore Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar said that he had received orders from the office of the Director-General of Police, based on which he had instructed the city police to continue their duties in their positions till further orders.
PEB list
The government had asked the Police Establishment Board (PEB) to prepare a list of officials due for transfers and the board announced a list of 600 police officials, including 135 Deputy Superintendents of Police and 498 inspectors, in what was billed as a major reshuffle.
However, a few MLAs and Ministers were unhappy and had approached the Chief Minister as well as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief G. Parameshwara to take into account their “recommendations” for transfers.
MLAs meet Chief Minister
On Friday, some Congress MLAs, including Vinay Kulkarni (Dharwad), M. Krishnappa (Vijaynagar, Bangalore) and Muniratna (Rajarajeshwarinagar, Bangalore) met the Chief Minister at his residence.
A few MLAs, including R.V. Devaraj (Chickpet, Bangalore), had met the Chief Minister on Thursday.
Supreme Court directions
However, speaking to presspersons after meeting the MLAs, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that police transfers were done by the PEB and the government did not interfere in the functioning of the board, as per the directions of the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, some MLAs, especially those from north Karnataka, are also said to be unhappy over what they called “arbitrary” transfers in the Public Works Department.
