Definitions.- In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

2[(a) “administrative posts" means post identified as the District Health and Family Welfare Officer, the District Surgeon, the Principal of Training Institutes, the Joint Director, the Deputy Director, the Programme Officer at the district level and the Superintendent of a major hospital of Health and Family Welfare Services and Deputy Director Ayush and District Health officer Ayush:]

1[(aa)]

“appointment” means appointment by direct recruitment or absorption or promotion or by change of cadre of Medical Officer or other staff; (b) “appointing authority” means the authority competent to make appointment to the respective cadres;

3[(c)

2[(cc)

competent authority” means such authority as may be prescribed who is competent make orders of transfer of a Medical Officer or other staff;]

“critical vacancy” means such vacancies of posts as may be prescribed”;]

1. (d) “Government” means the Government of Karnataka; (e) “Government hospital” means and includes district hospital, other major hospital, urban family welfare center, women & child hospital, general hospital at taluk level, community health center, urban primary health center, primary health center, sub center, mobile health unit, mobile tribal

unit, maternity centre and AYUSH hospital, institution, centre or any other center by whatever name called and established by the Government belonging to any system of medicine; (f)

2[(ff) “Government Institution” includes a Training center, an administrative

“Greater Bengaluru area” means the areas falling within the limits of the

Greater Bengaluru Authority constituted under the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024 (Karnataka Act 36 of 2025)] ; (g) “medical officer” means a medical officer appointed by the Appointing

Authority to any of the category of posts specified in Schedule - I;

(h) “other staff’ means a person appointed by the Appointing Authority to any of the category of posts specified in Schedule – II;

1. (i) "process of counseling" means the process of giving opportunity to a

person, considered for appointment or transfer, to opt a place or post on priority which is being given based on the length of service put in by him in the place or Zone where he is working and such other criteria as may be prescribed; (j)

“project post” means a post under a project assisted either by a foreign

Agency or Government of India, created for a specific objective and for a specific tenure

2[identified as such by the Government by a notification] ;

1. (k) “rural area” means the area other than the urban areas;
2. (l) “schedule” means schedule appended to this Act; (m) “senior specialist” means a medical officer who has Post Graduate Degree or Post Graduate Diploma qualification and is 3[working in senior specialist cadre] ; (n) 2[(nn) “specialist” means a medical officer who has Post Graduate Degree or Post Graduate Diploma qualification and is 3[working in specialist cadre] ; special category of persons” means persons belonging to such special categories as may be specified in the rules.] (o) “transfer” means posting of a Medical Officer or other staff from one place of working to a post in another place of working; (p) “urban area” means any area situated within the limits of a city corporation, city municipal council, town municipal council, town panchayat or other notified areas specified under the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976 or the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964 and upto such distance away from the limits of the above area notified as such by the Government from time to time; (q)

“Zone-A” means urban area within the limits of a city corporation or city municipal council at a district headquarters

2[excluding Greater Bengaluru area] ; (r)

“Zone-B” means urban area within the limits of a city municipal council which is in a place other than a district headquarter or a town municipal

¹ Renumbered by Act 70 of 2025 w.e.f 27.05.2025

² Inserted by Act 70 of 2025 w.e.f. 27.05.2025

council or town panchayat and areas notified as urban areas;