Out of order

With a new recommendation that might come into effect soon, the system that allowed senior police officers to keep orderlies may be abolished

The days of police officers flaunting their orderlies are likely to come to an end. The Research and Restructuring Wing of the state police recommending the Home Department to abolish the orderly system that has prevailed in the department since the British Era.


Yes men: Every police officers at the rank of inspector is entitled for
one orderly, at the rank of police constable, to help them in domestic
chores and personal work. Representation pic

It may be recalled that the former DGP, C Dinakar had withdrawn orderlies from every police officers following a series of complaints from the ground level personnel alleging harassment from their seniors. But soon after his retirement, the system was continued.

Tragic incident
This recommendation gained significance as few days ago, after a Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) constable died in a tragic incident, after he slipped from a roadside tree while pruning the branches near the quarters.

CR Srikanta (49), attached to the 4th Battalion of KSRP was working as orderly for an senior. It was alleged that Srikanta was forced to climb up the tree the inspector's wife.

ADGP (Research and Restructure) Sushant Mahapatra had reportedly sent the proposal to abolish the system to the Home department. The idea behind was to utilise more than 3,000 police constables (orderlies) for actual police work.

Some police constables themselves want to do the orderly jobs for officers who enjoy influential posts in the department. If they get a 'chance', they think that they can enjoy the facilities, but mostly face humiliation by the family members of the police officers.

Citing this an example, a senior police officer said that as per rules, every police officers at the rank of inspector is entitled for one orderly, at the rank of police constable, to help them in domestic chores and personal work.
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The number of orderlies goes up along with the seniority as an ACP/ DY SP gets two orderlies and SP and above gets four persons.

Rules ignored
Though there are set of written rules for the officers on using the orderlies, they are ignored. Orderlies are subjected to harassment, and are forced into menial jobs including cooking, cleaning, washing cloths, polishing shoes, and odd jobs which cannot be explained, said a senior officer.

"There are hundreds of complaints from orderlies to the officers concerned, but they refused to take action as this could boomerang," he added.

The recommendation has also suggested that such orderlies, who are facing humiliation and embarrassment everyday, should be withdrawn immediately and such personnel should be put on some constructive work.

The officers who entitled to such facilities should be given some monetary benefit if needed be, so that they could employ private personnel for such works.u00a0

A better tomorrow
"I keep in mind the dignity of labour while submitting my recommendation; as such systems have not existed in other parts of the state. Since Karnataka has been known for many firsts, why not this?" said Additional Director General of Police Sushanth Mahapatra who submitted the recommendation.

The Karnataka police is functioning with 86 per cent of their total strength. The rest 14 per cent (11,400) posts are vacant and authorities say it is because of lack of training facilities.

A total 89,300 police personnel are in the state, and out of them, more that 3,000 police are appointed as orderlies. "How can the state police be improved?" a senior officer said.

What they really do
> Gardening
> Washing cloths, ironing
> Cooking, serving food and even liquor to their bosses and guests
> Preparing children for school
> Polishing and buckling shoes
> Assisting officers wives with domestic work
> Shopping for groceries, dropping and fetching children from school

89,300 police personnel in the state

3,000 police personnel appointed as orderlies