CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has emphasised that district collectors have to take immediate action as per the state government’s order if they receive complaints or information on the prevalence of orderly system in the police department by holding inquiry through the officials.
“In the event of collusion between the higher officials, it is to be viewed seriously because such lapses would undoubtedly affect the very administrative functioning across the state and it is needless to say that enforcement of government orders and policies are of paramount importance,” said a division bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and K Surender recently.
The remarks were made when a petition seeking removal of encroachments from government land and the inadequacy of police personnel to provide security for eviction drive came up for hearing. It noted that the colonial practice of engaging policemen as orderlies for carrying out the domestic chores of higher officials was abolished, but it continues in practice. “Thus, government is duty bound to work out modalities to enforce their own policy decision, if necessary, by initiating suitable actions not only against the collectors but also against the police officials, who all are not functioning in tune with the government policies and instructions,” it said.
The bench recorded the submission of Advocate General PS Raman that the procedures for implementing the orders to end the orderly system would be instructed to the police authorities to ensure such practice is abolished.