Karnataka is preparing to introduce an online police complaint system that will allow people to file complaints without visiting a police station. The proposed initiative aims to improve police accountability, simplify complaint registration and reduce corruption in the process.
Filing a police complaint in Karnataka could soon become much simpler. People may soon be able to register complaints online without visiting a police station, as the Karnataka Home Department is preparing to introduce a system for filing online complaints and registering Zero FIRs. The proposed initiative aims to make the complaint process more accessible, improve police accountability and curb corruption at the complaint registration stage.
The move follows directions from Home Minister Priyank Kharge, who has instructed senior police officers to develop a mechanism for accepting online complaints and registering Zero FIRs. Acting on his directive, the department has begun work on the proposal and is examining its legal and operational aspects before implementation.
Making Police Complaints More Accessible
The primary objective of the proposed system is to simplify the complaint registration process, ensure that every complaint receives an official response and eliminate irregularities at the complaint registration stage. Officials are currently assessing the benefits and practical challenges of introducing the new mechanism.
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Why Is the New System Needed?
Under the existing system, a First Information Report (FIR) is registered based on a victim's complaint, following which an investigation begins. However, there have been persistent allegations that some police personnel hesitate to register complaints. There have also been allegations that victims are sometimes asked to pay money to get an FIR registered and that influential individuals receive preferential treatment.
To address these concerns, Home Minister Priyank Kharge has proposed making the complaint registration process more people-friendly, transparent and free from corruption.
State Director General of Police (DGP) Dr MA Saleem is preparing the implementation plan. According to sources, he has already held discussions with Labhu Ram, Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Police Computer Wing (PCW), regarding the proposed system.
How Will the Online Complaint System Work?
At present, the Karnataka State Police (KSP) allows people to file online complaints for non-cognisable incidents, such as the loss of purses, ATM cards, credit cards, documents and mobile phones, through its website or mobile application. An electronic lost report is generated for these complaints, but an FIR is not registered.
The portal also allows online reporting of crimes involving the sexual abuse of women and children.
Under the proposed system, the government plans to expand online complaint registration to include several cognisable offences. While serious offences such as murder and rape are expected to remain outside the scope of online registration, people may be able to file complaints online for offences such as house theft, burglary and robbery.
Complaints submitted through the KSP website or mobile application will be forwarded to the jurisdictional police station, which will be required to initiate the necessary legal action without delay.
Police Will Have to Act on Every Complaint
Officials said the new system would prevent police from refusing to accept complaints. Every online complaint would have to be acknowledged, acted upon and recorded in the station diary, ensuring greater accountability and transparency in the complaint-handling process.
A People-Friendly Initiative
“The process of filing complaints for criminal offences will be made 'people-friendly'. An online complaint system has been proposed. We are looking into what kind of crimes can be reported online and what the law says about it.” - Dr MA Saleem, Director General of Police, Karnataka
