The Karnataka government has introduced a geofencing-based night-time attendance system through the Kartavya mobile application, beginning with doctors at taluk hospitals and Primary Health Centres from November 1, 2026. The measure is intended to ensure that officials remain at their designated headquarters and are available for timely public service delivery.
Under the pilot system, doctors working in taluk hospitals and PHCs under the Health and Family Welfare Department will have to mark their attendance through the Kartavya app after 9 pm every day. They must be within the geographical limits of the town, city or village designated as their official headquarters while recording their attendance.
The order, issued by the Praja Seva Department on October 17, follows proceedings by the Upa Lokayukta. Those proceedings found that several government employees were not residing at their designated headquarters and were instead managing administrative work from distant locations. The government said this had contributed to delays in attending to duties and caused inconvenience to the public.
Employees on sanctioned leave, officials performing approved duties outside their headquarters and those who have received prior permission to leave their headquarters will be exempted from the night-time attendance requirement. They will have to record the reasons for their leave or permission in the application.
Commissioners and District Health Officers will review the night-time attendance reports every month. Officials found to be living away from their designated headquarters without permission may face disciplinary action under the applicable civil service rules. The system has been introduced by the Department of Praja Seva with the approval of the Chief Minister, according to the report.
The government plans to consider extending the Kartavya-based attendance system to employees in other departments and cadres after assessing the pilot project. The order was issued by Praja Seva Department Principal Secretary Harsh Gupta.
In a separate circular, the government has also expanded the use of the Kartavya app to contractual and outsourced employees working in departments, offices, boards, corporations, authorities and government-aided institutions. The application was earlier limited to permanent government employees.
Heads of departments and offices have been directed to ensure that contractual and outsourced staff register on the application by November 25, 2026. From December 1, attendance for these employees will have to be recorded exclusively through Kartavya. Starting January 1, 2027, salaries of contractual employees and bills submitted by outsourcing agencies will be cleared only on the basis of attendance reports generated through the app.
Drawing and Disbursing Officers have been instructed not to release payments where attendance has not been recorded through the application. The government said the change would replace handwritten registers and other separate attendance systems with a uniform digital record for personnel whose salaries are paid from public funds.
