Karnataka Grameen Bank Officers Protest Against Unfair Transfers, Indefinite Dharna on 8th July

The issue of transfers and posting in government banks is not yet over. Again, an issue has come to light in Karnataka Grameen Bank. The Government had merged all the Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) in a state to form a single RRB. The Government merged RRBs with an aim to improve the efficiency of these banks. But now, unfair transfers have been reported at Karnataka Grameen Bank. The Karnataka Grameen Bank Officers’ Federation has written a letter to the Chairman of the Bank and employees have demanded the Chairman to resolve the issues peacefully.

Letter by Karnataka Grameen Bank Officers’ Federation

Subject: Protest Against Unjust General Transfers 2025 and Other HR Irregularities – Notice of Indefinite Huinger Dharna

Respected Sir,

We, the Karnataka Grameena Bank Officers’ Federation (KGBOF), express our serious dissatisfaction and strong protest regarding the General Transfers 2025 and certain other critical HR issues, which have been implemented in a biased, unfair, and non-policy-based manner.

We have visited your office and the HR section more than seven times, placing forward genuine, well-documented requests, and insisting on the fair and strict implementation of the Bank’s Transfer Policy. During our discussions, we were told that due to the recent amalgamation in May 2025, the policy could not be implemented fully, but that fair transfers would still be ensured.

However, in practice, neither the policy was implemented, nor were the transfers fair and transparent. The process has led to widespread discontent and erosion of trust among our members.

Key Issues:

1. Biased and Premature Transfers: Many officers have been transferred prematurely and unfairly, while some have been selectively favored, violating both policy and principles of equity.
2. Seniority Ignored: As per the Transfer Policy, seniority should be a key factor in deciding transfers. Unfortunately, seniority was completely disregarded, and arbitrary decisions were made.
3. Policy Excuses Post-Amalgamation: The amalgamation is being used as an excuse to bypass policy. In fact, during transitions, policy adherence should be stricter—not ignored.
4. Genuine Requests Rejected: Valid requests under spouse grounds, severe medical conditions, and dependent care have been rejected without valid reasons or justification.
5. Unjust Adjustments: To accommodate certain individuals, many of our members have been forcibly and unfavourably transferred, showing clear administrative bias.

Additional Serious Concern: AOD and LOR Implementation

Post-amalgamation, the Acknowledgement of Debt (AOD) and Letter of Revival (LOR) process is not being implemented uniformly or as per the Limitation Act.

• In the erstwhile eKVGB, AODs were rightly obtained only after the loan becomes due, which is consistent with the Limitation Act and holds validity in court.

• In the current scenario, it is being implemented as per the eKaGB practice, which requires obtaining AOD/LOR from borrowers every two years even for regular, non-overdue loans.

• When we raised this issue with the General Manager, LRD, he stated that this method was adopted “just to make officers visit customers”—an unacceptable and legally unsound justification.

This practice is causing immense inconvenience to both staff and customers, and is neither legally mandated nor efficient. There are other constructive ways to ensure field visits and recovery follow-up; forcing AOD collection in violation of law is not one of them.

We demand immediate implementation of AOD and LOR procedures strictly as per the Limitation Act and the long-standing eKVGB method, which has stood the test of legal scrutiny for over 50 years.

These actions and failures in policy implementation constitute a clear Industrial Dispute under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, as they alter the service conditions and adversely affect employees’ rights, morale, and dignity. We reserve the right to escalate this matter legally if not addressed.

Therefore, we are compelled to serve this Notice of Indefinite Dharna and Hunger Dharna:

• Location: In front of Head Office, Ballari
• Start Date: 08th July 2025 (15 days from today)
• Form of Protest: Indefinite Dharna followed by Hunger Dharna

Our Demands:

1. Immediate review and reversal of all unjust, premature, and biased transfers
2. Consideration of all pending genuine transfer requests, especially on spouse, medical, and compassionate grounds
3. Strict implementation of the Transfer Policy, especially with respect to seniority, without favoritism
4. Immediate correction of AOD and LOR practices – follow Limitation Act and implement the eKVGB model, not the flawed eKaGB method
5. Ensure equal and fair treatment of all staff in the post-amalgamation period, without favouring one bank’s legacy practices over the other

This is a matter of utmost seriousness. If management fails to act promptly, the Bank alone will be held responsible for any breakdown in industrial harmony or for legal consequences arising thereafter.

We still hope that the Bank will act in the true spirit of justice, fairness, and good governance.