Karnataka police makes attendance app mandatory amid concerns over irregular working hours

Karnataka police makes attendance app mandatory against the backdrop of worries over irregular working hours The move is aimed at improving punctuality, accountability and monitoring of police personnel deployed on field duties.

Key points

• In an order dated August 19, Director General and Inspector General of Police M.A.
• Now, those working outside their stations or offices must employ the 'On Other Duty' option, with the concerned superior officer required to verify the entry.
• The move is aimed at improving punctuality, accountability and monitoring of police personnel deployed on field duties.
• Personnel have been directed to check in when reporting for duty and check out when completing duty.
• Saleem remarked the objective was to ensure punctuality and enable senior officers to monitor the presence and availability of police personnel on the ground.

Now, those working outside their stations or offices must employ the 'On Other Duty' option, with the concerned superior officer required to verify the entry. Photo Credit: File photo.

In practice, the Karnataka police have created it mandatory for all officers and personnel to register on the government's 'Kartavya' attendance app and mark their attendance daily, with senior officers directed to closely monitor compliance.

In an order dated August 19, Director General and Inspector General of Police M.A. Saleem directed unit heads to ensure that all police personnel under their jurisdiction are onboarded onto the Karnataka Automated Attendance Management System (KAAMS) and regularly mark their attendance.

Meanwhile, the move is aimed at improving punctuality, accountability and monitoring of police personnel deployed on field duties. The department has clarified that the nature of police work. It often requires personnel to remain outside police stations and offices, will not be an obstacle to mark attendance.

Meanwhile, the Kartavya app has been equipped with provisions such as 'On Other Duty' (OOD) and a movement register, allowing personnel engaged in beat duty, serving summons, crime investigation and other official assignments outside their offices to record their attendance along with the purpose of their deployment.

Personnel have been directed to check in when reporting for duty and check out when completing duty. Those working outside their stations or offices must employ the OOD option, with the concerned superior officer required to verify the entry.

According to The order, despite repeated instructions, some police personnel have still not registered on the application, while some who have registered are not regularly recording their attendance. According to The administration has taken the problem seriously and has, there should be no further lapses or delays.

Unit heads have been asked to personally monitor implementation and prepare details of two categories of personnel – those who have not registered on Kartavya and those who are registered but fail to regularly mark attendance.

For context, the department has additionally cautioned that personnel who fail to mark attendance without a valid reason could be treated as unauthorisedly absent and face disciplinary action under the applicable rules.

Speaking regarding the initiative, Mr. Saleem remarked the objective was to ensure punctuality and enable senior officers to monitor the presence and availability of police personnel on the ground. While some are deployed on the ground, making it tough for them to mark attendance, "Plenty of police office-holders start work early. With the modification to the app, everyone can now log in and log out from wherever they are with a click, thereby marking their presence and availability, " he remarked.

As their working hours often do not conform to fixed office timings, police personnel had earlier faced difficulties using the app. In a number of cases, punching in and out at times that did not align with the system's designated working hours reportedly resulted in personnel being marked absent. While others did not opt for it in the first place, owing to these technical and operational problems, numerous police personnel halted using the attendance system.

After complaints from the field-level personnel, the attendance application has now been modified to suit the working patterns and timings of the police force. With the changes in place, the head of the State police force has directed all police authorities and personnel to compulsorily apply the app and mark their attendance without fail.

For now, karnataka police makes attendance app mandatory amid concerns over irregular working hours remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.