E-Paper
End practice of assigning cops as orderlies, HC directs Tamil Nadu govt
The court said the people’s rights are also infringed as the services of trained uniformed personnel are not used for performing public duties
The Madras high court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to end the practice of assigning orderlies within four months and immediately withdraw them if deputed at the residences of the retired police officers as it is illegal.
“Though these police personnel [orderlies] are working as menials in the residence of the higher police officials, they are to be construed as oppressed and depressed class amongst the homogeneous class of uniformed personnel and the Constitutional Courts as the protector of the Constitution are is expected to raise voice for such voiceless police…,” said Justice S M Subramaniam on Tuesday.
He added the people’s rights are also infringed as the services of trained uniformed personnel are not used for performing public duties. Subramaniam issued the directions on petitioner U Manickavel’s plea against the unauthorised occupation of the official police residences and the orderly system.
“...the last grade uniformed personnel are voiceless and there is no possibility of registering a complaint against the higher police officials...,” the court said. “State, though abolished the orderly system in the year 1979, miserably failed to implement the same till today.”
Tamil Nadu’s home department and police chief Sylendra Babu issued a circular against the deployment of police personnel as orderlies. Babu assured the court its directions will be followed.
The court referred to misconduct including the unauthorised occupation of police quarters, orderly system, and maintaining dark/black films in the cars in violation of the Supreme Court orders. “...if organised and with no possibility of complaints by the aggrieved persons, the Constitutional Courts have duty bound to mould the relief in the interest of justice and to remove the injustice or unconstitutionality,” it said.
