From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Jun 14: The much-maligned system of 'orderlies’ , under which nearly 3,000 police constables and head constables are assigned to do menial jobs at the residences of senior police officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendents of Police and above in Karnataka, has finally been scrapped.
Karnataka’s Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, who spoke to reporters in Bengaluru on Tuesday, said: "We have decided to withdraw orderlies in principle.’’
The State Government’s Home Department has decided to post all policemen posted as orderlies for regular police dutyas constables.
As these constables have undergone rigorous training personnel, we will take steps to give them right postings, the minister said.
Soon after he assumed charge as the Home Minister in last November, Dr Parameshwara had promised to scrap the system of orderlies dating back to the colonial times.
In fact, there have been instances of police constables spending their entire service as orderlies till their retirement, which is quite 'inhuman.'
The previous Home Minister K J George had also promised to scrap the system but did not succeed in convincing the police top brass to give up the privilege.
To set right injustice meted out to police constables in pay-scale, the State Government has decided to constitute a five-member committee to study prevailing pay-scale in other states by taking into consideration workload and other factors, the minister said.
The committee has been asked to submit its report in four weeks, he said.
Dr Parameshwara, who chaired a meeting of senior officials for discussing at length various demands of constables, said the pay-scale of constable was compared to the Second Division Assistant (SDA).
But nature of work of SDA and constables was totally different.
Police Constables had planned to go strike on June 4 demanding higher-pay scale and better working condition, including weekly offs. They withdraw the strike following assurances from the government that their demands would be looked into.
It was decided to place the proposed pay-scale recommended by the committee before the pay commission.
Dr Parameshwara said police officers have no right to deny casual leave, earned leave and medical leave for constables. If they denied leave, then officers have to provide explanation for denying the leave.
However, such leave would not be applicable in emergencies such as strike, he added.