CHENNAI: The State police chief’s claim that not a single police official was currently deployed at the residences of senior police officers in Tamil Nadu as orderlies was unacceptable, said the Madras High Court.

The division bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and C Kumarappan impleaded the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary as parties to the case and also directed Advocate General PS Raman to assist the court in the matter.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by A Radhakrishnan, a resident of Salem, who sought police protection for a temple land and himself. During an earlier hearing, the judges had asked whether the court’s 2022 order directing the complete abolition of the police orderly system had been fully implemented. In response, a report was filed on behalf of the Head of Police Force stating that no personnel was presently engaged as orderlies.

When the matter came up again, the judges appreciated the DGP for issuing a circular prohibiting the deployment of orderlies. However, there were news reports and information in the public domain indicating that personnel continue to work at senior officers’ homes as orderlies, the court said, and said it was unable to accept the DGP’s claim that there are no orderlies at all.

Responding to the observation, State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah submitted that appropriate action would be taken if any complaints were received in this regard.

The judges then suo motu impleaded the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary as parties to the case, and also directed Advocate General PS Raman to assist the court in the matter before adjourning the hearing to January 7.

During an earlier hearing, the High Court had noted that senior officers were already paid enough, including with allowances, and should hence restrain themselves from using uniformed personnel for household chores.