Chennai, Jun 21 (IANS): The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu government not to post police constables as orderlies to Indian Police Service (IPS) officers and instead appoint residential assistants.

Justice S.M. Subramanian of the Madras High Court said it was an offence to post a police constable who was earning Rs 45,000 per month as salary as the orderly to an IPS officer. The judge asked why a trained police constable is doing cooking, washing clothes, and mopping floors at the residences of officers.

The judge also directed the government to immediately withdraw the services of constables from the residences of serving and retired officers and institute disciplinary proceedings besides registering criminal cases wherever necessary.

The court made the oral observation during the hearing of a writ petition in which the judge had taken note of alleged misuse of office by senior police officers who engage orderlies, overstay in residential quarters, affix black sun film on their cars, and called for a response from the state government.

Additional Advocate General (AAG), P. Kumaresan informed the court that Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin has already insisted that the police department must function independently without any political interference.

The AAG told the court that the Home Secretary had ordered for collection of details of all officers who were overstaying in residential quarters across the state. The AAG also informed the court that necessary action would be taken on the issue of orderlies.

On hearing the response from the Additional Advocate General, the judge commended the government for the quick steps taken by it and adjourned the matter for reporting purposes.