Overview

• On June 26, the Supreme Court declined to hear government doctors’ challenge to their transfers from Bengaluru under the Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of Transfer of Medical Officers and other Staff) Rules, 2025.
• Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K Vinod Chandran ruled that relocation would not prejudice doctors because other regions of Karnataka are similarly developed.
• The petitioners argued they were given only one week to comment on the draft rules and that the final notification improperly introduced the concept of “Greater Bengaluru.”
• The Karnataka High Court had earlier refused to stay the implementation of the 2025 transfer rules, citing the state’s authority under Section 12 of the 2011 Act.
• With both courts upholding the regulations, Karnataka is now authorized to proceed with transferring medical officers and staff across the state.