‘Karthavya app’ causes concern among police personnel

CH NEWS BENGALURU The mandatory attendance system is reportedly creating difficulties for police personnel whose duties often extend beyond fixed working hours and locations. The Karnataka government recently introduced the Karthavya app to monitor attendance and prevent irregularities among government employees. The system has also been made mandatory for police officers and personnel, requiring them to log in and log out through the app. However, the mandatory requirement has triggered dissatisfaction among police personnel, who say it does not take into account the nature of police duties. The Director General and Inspector General of Police had issued directions making login and logout compulsory. Police personnel have questioned the practicality of following fixed attendance procedures while handling security arrangements, investigations and other emergency duties. Officers and personnel are frequently required to travel to other districts or states for investigations, bandobast and other assignments. During morning roll calls or security duties, logging into the app and subsequently logging out may not always be practically possible, they said. Personnel also pointed out that their duties do not necessarily end with the completion of a shift. Officers may have to continue working beyond scheduled hours depending on the situation. There are concerns that the attendance system was introduced without fully considering the working conditions of the police department. Personnel have urged senior officials to review the implementation and make suitable changes to avoid affecting operational duties. The Karthavya app has been developed by the Department of e-Governance to digitise attendance monitoring among government employees and improve accountability.