The guidelines follow complaints about incidents reported at traffic signals, markets, bus and railway stations, residential neighbourhoods and event venues. Police are told to verify the circumstances of each complaint before taking action under the law, including allegations of threats, abusive conduct, assault, harassment, traffic obstruction or aggressive solicitation.
Stations have also been asked to identify places where complaints recur and increase patrols there. The instructions call for regular meetings with transgender community members and public guidance on how to seek help. People facing an incident are advised to contact the 112 emergency helpline or file a complaint at the nearest police station.
The order emphasizes that public-order enforcement must not become a license for discrimination. Officers are specifically told not to use derogatory or abusive language and to treat transgender people respectfully while addressing alleged violations.
That safeguard is central to the debate around the guidelines. Transwoman and activist Rakshitha Mallikarjuna acknowledged that some people may demand money or behave aggressively, but warned that singling out transgender people could encourage excessive policing and reinforce the false assumption that misconduct is characteristic of the community as a whole.
The policy therefore places two duties side by side: police should respond to specific, verified conduct, and they must protect the rights and dignity of the people involved. The instructions apply to Bengaluru City Police personnel, whom the commissioner has directed to comply.