Cosmopolitan life 'very alluring', but no ground to resist transfers: SC junks doctors' plea

New Delhi: Dismissing their appeals, the Supreme Court recently refused to entertain the petition filed by a group of government doctors who challenged their transfers from Bengaluru to other parts of Karnataka. In its order, the bench observed that the city's cosmopolitan life is 'very alluring' and cannot be a valid ground to resist transfers.

A bench comprising Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and K Vinod Chandran noted no prejudice has been caused if the doctors were transferred out of Bengaluru and emphasised the equitable need for medical services across the state.

"The cosmopolitan life of Bangalore is very alluring. The others areas of Karnataka are also developed. You are a privileged class of society. If you will oppose transfer what will happen to others. We are not inclined to entertain the appeal," the bench said, news agency PTI reported.

With this, the bench declined to interfere with the Karnataka High Court’s order, adds Lawtrend

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The top court was hearing a plea filed by a group of doctors challenging the Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of Transfer of Medical Officers and other Staff) Rules, 2025, which regulates the transfer of medical officers and other staff within the state's health and family welfare department.

The Karnataka High Court had prevously refused to stay the rules, saying the 2025 rules were enacted in exercise of state’s power under Section 12 of Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of Transfer of Medical Officers and other Staff) 2011 Act, which would not specify any time between the publication of draft and finalisation of draft rules, reports PTI.

The petitioners questioned the rules, citing only a week's time to file objections to the draft rules.

They submitted the draft rules had no concept of Greater Bengaluru and incorporation of Greater Bengaluru in the final notification was impermissible.

However, the top court dismissed the arguments, signalling that transfer policies—especially in public service—must be guided by administrative need rather than personal convenience.

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