Karkala: Karnataka Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that over 18,000 posts are currently vacant in the state police department due to the failure of previous governments to conduct timely recruitments.

Speaking to reporters in Belman near Karkala, Parameshwara said, “The shortage of police personnel is not new. For the past four to five years, the vacancies have increased because no replacements were made for retired officers. Our government has now begun the recruitment process.”

Explaining the delay, the minister said that issues related to internal reservation led to a two- to three-month postponement in the process. “We have now started the procedure,” he clarified.

Referring to the earlier PSI recruitment scam, he said, “Recruitment for 545 Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) posts had to be stalled due to irregularities. We have now issued appointment orders to 545 candidates. Orders for another 402 candidates will be released within the next 10 to 15 days.”

The minister further said that once the ongoing recruitment is completed, the government will begin the process to recruit 600 more Sub-Inspectors. “How can we hold back 1,500 SI posts and expect there to be no issues?” he asked, holding the previous government responsible for neglecting timely appointments.