The Tamil Nadu government has informed the Madras High Court that the police orderly system has been abolished, with no uniformed personnel or prisoners deployed as orderlies in the residences of higher officials in the prison department.A division bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and M Jothiraman emphasized that uniformed police personnel are meant for public service and should not be used for personal work by senior officials. The court stated that this colonial practice must be completely eradicated from both the police and prison departments.
During the hearing of a petition, Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) submitted a status report confirming that no uniformed personnel or prisoners were currently being deployed as orderlies at the residences of senior prison officials. The court appreciated the swift action taken to eliminate this practice and further directed the government to ensure its complete abolition from the police department as well.
The case was based on a petition filed by Sujatha, wife of convict prisoner Vigneshwar Perumal, who alleged that prison wardens and inmates were being assigned as orderlies at the residences of high-ranking prison officials, leading to staff shortages and unhygienic conditions at Puzhal prison.
Petitioner’s counsel, Advocate P Pugalenthi, highlighted that although 203 prison warden posts had been sanctioned, only 15 wardens were currently deployed in Puzhal prison, instead of the required 60 per shift across three shifts. He argued that excessive working hours were leading to frequent conflicts between wardens and prisoners due to frustration and fatigue.
The court warned that continuing this practice would harm public administration and directed the State government to take strict action against senior officials found deploying uniformed personnel for personal duties.
This move marks a significant step toward reforming the prison and police administration in Tamil Nadu by ending a centuries-old colonial practice and ensuring that uniformed personnel focus solely on public service.