Relieve police personnel serving as orderlies, says HC

The Madras High Court on Tuesday said the lower level police personnel should be relieved from doing menial jobs at the residences of senior officers, saying it was illegal to employ such persons.

It is illegal to use a person belonging to uniformed force for domestic works of officers and cases must be registered against such officers. Trained constables, receiving a salary of Rs 45,000 should not be engaged as orderlies at the houses of their superiors, Justice SM Subramaniam said. The government must ensure removal of orderlies immediately from the residences of retired police officials, too, he said.

He made the observations when a writ petition from U Manickavel challenging an order evicting him from the police quarters came up for further hearing today. The eviction order was passed in January 2014 under the Tamil Nadu Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Rules. But it was implemented only now.

Finding fault with the trending nexus between the police higher ups and the politicians, the judge said the same would lead to an increase in criminal activities. Police officers should not even meet politicians with bouquets. This is also a misconduct. These officials will not be able to take action without fear or favour, the judge added.

Additional Advocate-General P Kumaresan informed the judge that his remarks made last week against the erring police officials, was taken up with Chief Minister M K Stalin, who had initiated appropriate steps. And the judge appreciated the government for having initiated action.

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