Want orderly? Get permission in writing from State police chief

CHENNAI: Finally, the TN police seem to have found a way to tackle the ever-nagging orderly issue. Head of Tamil Nadu police force, DGP C Sylendra Babu, has now asked all unit heads not to deploy their personnel on other duty (read orderly) without getting written order from his office.

Every time a unit head receives a request from officers for an orderly, from now on he or she will have to get it okayed by the state Head of the Police Force.

“You are instructed not to depute any police personnel in your unit on OD basis for any duty without written orders of the head of the police force,” the DGP said in his note despatched to all officers in the TN police noting the Madras High Court recently had ordered that the orderly system shall be abolished entirely within four months.

So far the state police, during the last two weeks, have retrieved 430 police personnel who had been working as orderlies to officers and sent them back to their parent unit.

According to the HC order, the Home Secretary, state DGP, Chennai police commissioner and ADC welfare are supposed to ensure that the practice of orderly stands eradicated in its entirety under a 1979 order.

The Home Secretary and DGP are directed to withdraw the orderlies if deputed to the residence of the retired officials immediately as it amounts to illegality and violation of the law. And if any complaints of violation of this, the Home Secretary and DGP are directed to conduct enquiry and initiate appropriate action under the discipline and appeal rule.

The court also directed to identify illegal occupation of official police quarters and initiate all steps for eviction under the provision of the statute and rules in force.