Expressing displeasure over the prevalence of the colonial ‘orderly’ system in the Police Department despite its abolition on paper in 1979, the Madras High Court on Monday fixed a deadline of three weeks for the Home Secretary to ensure that no serving or retired police officer in the State continued to use police personnel for household work.
Justice S.M. Subramaniam said the Home Secretary must initiate action under the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, against Indian Police Service (IPS) officers who do not surrender all their orderlies forthwith. The judge also gave liberty to the subordinate police personnel to lodge complaints against their higher-ups regarding misuse of authority.
“In the event of receiving any such complaint or information from the subordinate officials, the Home Secretary shall initiate immediate action against the officers concerned under the Conduct Rules,” he ordered, and granted time till August 12 for Additional Advocate General P. Kumaresan to revert and report further developments to the court.
