Police Orderly order HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE S. M. SUBRAMANIAM AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C.KUMARAPPAN WP Crl. No. 472 of 2025 A.Radhakrishnan, S/o. T.Arumuga Gounder, 38, Mettur Agraharam, Salem – 636001.

by Sekar Reporter · Published January 8, 2026 · Updated January 8, 2026

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 07-01-2026

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE S. M. SUBRAMANIAM
AND
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C.KUMARAPPAN

WP Crl. No. 472 of 2025

A.Radhakrishnan,
S/o. T.Arumuga Gounder, 38, Mettur Agraharam, Salem – 636001.

Appellant(s)

1. The Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs,
Government of India, new Delhi.

2.The Secretary to Government,
Pubic (Law and Order, B Section) Department, Secretariat,
Chennai – 600009.

3.The Secretary to Government,
Revenue Department, Secretariat,
Chennai – 600009.

4.The Commissioner of Revenue Administration,
Chepauk, Chennai – 600005.

5.The Director General of Police/ Head of the Police Force
Dr.Radhakrishnan Salai,
Chennai – 600004.

6.The Additional Director General of Police,
(Law and Order), Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, Chennai – 600004.

7.The Inspector General of Police,
Intelligence, Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, Chennai – 600004.

8.The Superintendent of Police,
Security Branch Crime Investigation Department, Chennai – 600028.

9.The Superintendent of Police,
Special Branch Crime Investigation Department, Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, Chennai – 600004.

10.The Inspector General of Police,
West Zone, Race Course Road, Coimbatore.

11.The Deputy Inspector General of Police,
Salem Range, Salem – 636007.

12.The District Executive Magistrate/ District Collector,
Dharmapuri.

13.The District Executive Magistrate / District Collector,
Salem.

14.The Commissioner of Police,
Salem City, Salem – 636006.

15.The Superintendent of Police,
Salem District, Salem – 636002.

16.The Superintendent of Police,
Dharmapuri District, Dharmapuri

17.The Inspector of Police,
District Special Branch, District Police Office Campus, Dharmapuri.

18.The Chief Secretary To Government of Tamil Nadu
Fort St.George, Chennai-600009.

19.The Principal Secretary To Government Of Tamil Nadu
Home Department, Fort St.George, Chennai.

(R18 and R19 are suomotu impleaded as per the order of this court dated 19.12.2025 in WP.Crl.No.472 of 2025)

Respondent(s)

PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 5 to 11 and respondents 14 to 16 to take appropriate action on petitioner representation dated 07.07.2025.

For Appellant(s): Mr.A.Radhakrishnan,
Party-in-Person

For Respondent(s): Mr.P.S.Raman, Advocate General
Assisted By Mr.E.Raj Thilak,
Addl. Public Prosecutor

*****
ORDER

Order of the Court was made by S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.)

Pursuant to the order of this Court dated 19.12.2025, Mr.P.S.Raman learned Advocate General appeared and submitted a copy of the Government letter No.26210/Pol.VI/2025-4, dated 02.01.2026 issued by the Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home (Pol.VI) Department, Secretariat, Chennai. In Paragraph No.5 of the Government Letter reads as under:
“5. In view of the above position, I am directed to request you to ensure immediately that the orderly system is completely eradicated in all units and to ensure that no police personnel in the unit is deputed for any duty on OD basis without the written orders of the Director General of Police / Head of Police Force. I am also directed to request you to give necessary instructions to all the concerned officials to follow the above instructions and orders of Hon’ble High Court of Madras in the reference second cited scrupulously.”

Instructions are issued to the Director General of Police/ Head of Police Force to ensure that the Government policy dispensing with the practice of orderly system in the residences of higher police officials/ retired police officials are implemented in letter and spirit in compliance with the orders of the High Court.

2. The learned Advocate General, in a right spirit express the ill effect of continuing the practice of utilizing Police Personnels as Orderlies in the residences of the Police Officers to perform household works. The Colonial system in existence must be stopped. Effective actions have been initiated by the Government by issuing instructions to the Director General of Police.

3. It is an unfortunate situation that serving Police Personnels are deputed as Orderlies to perform the household works of the retired Higher Police Officials, who had served in the rank of Director General of Police, Inspector General of Police, etc. Such practice would not only affect the morale and discipline in the Police Department, but result in affecting the efficiency in Police Administration. The Government dispensed with the orderly system and abolished in G.O.Ms.No.2231, Home (Police-VI) Department dated 05.09.1979.
4. The learned Advocate General, in all fairness and with sensitivity made a suggestion that a District Level Monitoring Committee has to be constituted to deal with complete eradication of orderly system and initiate appropriate disciplinary actions against the officials, who all are instructing the Police personnel to serve as orderly and perform household works in their residences in violation of the Government policy. The learned Advocate General would submit that the District Collector may be the Chairman of the Committee and members from Revenue Department and Police Department shall assist the Committee for its effective functioning. The Committee will gather informations, receive complaints, initiate appropriate actions and submit report to the Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home (Pol.VI) Department. Periodical report is to be submitted by the Committee to the Government to ensure that orderly system is completely abolished in Police Department.

5. In view of the suggestions made by the learned Advocate General in public interest and in the interest of Police Administration and to maintain discipline and morale in the uniformed force, this Court is inclined to issue the following directions:

i) The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home (Pol.VI) Department / 19th Respondent herein is directed to constitute District Level Committees across the State of Tamil Nadu, headed by the District Collector as Chairman and two Officials from Revenue Department not below the rank of District Revenue Officer and two members from the Police Department not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police / Assistant Commissioner of Police in cities, within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order;
ii) The District Level Committee shall gather informations, receive complaints from any person in any form, i.e., oral / through electronic mode or written complaint and initiate all appropriate actions to abolish the orderly system in Police Department;
iii) The District Level Committee shall ensure that no Police personnels are deputed to perform the household works or personal works of the Higher Officials of the Police Department and issue necessary directions to depute those orderlies on regular Police duty;

iv) The District Level Committee shall submit periodical report to the Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home (Pol.VI) Department once in two months to monitor implementation of the Government Policy and Court orders.

v) Chennai city, Coimbatore city and Madurai city are concerned, the District Collector / Chairman of the District Level Committee shall constitute required number of teams to ensure abolition of orderly system;

vi) On receipt of report or complaint from the District Level Committee or from any person, the Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home (Pol.VI) Department shall initiate all appropriate actions, including departmental disciplinary proceedings against the Officials concerned.
6. List on 05.02.2026 “for reporting compliance”.
(S.M.S.,J.) (C.K.,J.)
07-01-2026
dsa/ar
To
1.The Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs,
Government of India, new Delhi.

2.The Secretary to Government,
Pubic (Law and Order, B Section) Department, Secretariat, Chennai – 600009.

3.The Secretary to Government,
Revenue Department, Secretariat, Chennai – 600009.

4.The Commissioner of Revenue Administration,
Chepauk, Chennai – 600005.

5.The Director General of Police/ Head of the Police Force
Dr.Radhakrishnan Salai, Chennai – 600004.