27-07-2025
Excise dept introduces online counselling for transfers of Group-C staff
Bengaluru: Inline with the 2025–26 state budget announcement, the Karnataka Excise Department has rolled out an online counselling-based transfer and recruitment system for its Group-C staff — including excise inspectors, sub-inspectors, head constables, and constables.
This reform follows the implementation of the Karnataka Civil Services (Excise Department Officers Transfer) Rules, 2025, which came into effect with a notification dated May 14, 2025. The government issued guidelines on July 8, 2025, detailing procedures for preparing priority lists, counselling timelines, and executing transfers. A dedicated software was developed to facilitate the online counselling process. The service records of all 2,453 personnel in the department have been digitised. A draft eligibility list for transfers was published on July 17, followed by an online objection process. After considering objections, the final list of eligible employees was released on July 23.
Online counselling sessions were conducted for excise inspectors and sub-inspectors on July 24, and for head constables and constables on July 25. Based on their preferences, a total of 687 personnel have been transferred: 151 inspectors, 114 sub-inspectors, 7 head constables, and 415 constables.
This process has been infused in the system following many officials disputing their out of term transfers according to a senior official. However, the transfer list for inspectors and sub-inspectors is subject to the final verdicts of cases pending before the Karnataka High Court, Karnataka Administrative Tribunal, and the Belagavi Bench. Meanwhile, transfer lists for head constables and constables have been finalised and released as per schedule.
