Stories
Karnataka launches Kartavya mobile app to track night attendance for government staff
- •The Karnataka government introduced a geofencing-based night-time attendance system using the Kartavya mobile app to ensure officials reside at their designated headquarters.
- •A pilot run will begin on November 1, 2026, for doctors in taluk hospitals and Primary Health Centres under the Health and Family Welfare Department.
- •Officials who fail to reside at their headquarters without proper permission will face disciplinary action under civil service rules.
- •The system stems from Upa Lokayukta findings that employees managing work from afar caused delays and public inconvenience.
- •Contractual and outsourced staff must also register on the Kartavya app by November 25, 2026, with salaries linked to app attendance from early 2027.
Key Questions Answered
The Karnataka government has introduced a geofencing-based night-time attendance system using the 'Kartavya' mobile app to ensure officials reside at their designated headquarters. As a pilot project, doctors in taluk hospitals and PHCs must mark attendance after 9 pm starting November 1, 2026.
Officials and employees on sanctioned leave, those performing official duties outside their headquarters with competent authority approval, and those with prior permission to leave are exempted. However, they must clearly record their reasons inside the app.
Contractual and outsourced personnel must register on the Kartavya app by November 25, 2026, and record their attendance exclusively through it starting December 1, 2026. From January 1, 2027, salaries and outsourcing bills will only be cleared based on app-generated reports.
