They are trained to be constables, but more than 3,000 among them in the State are doing menial jobs in homes of police officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police and above. If the Home Department’s ongoing efforts bear fruit, the system of orderlies dating back to the colonial times might be scrapped.
“We are collecting data of orderlies from across the State, and planning to scrap the system,” Home Minister G. Parameshwara said. He pointed out that the same people could be used to maintain law and order, considering the shortage of manpower.
“As these constables undergo rigorous training, we will take steps to give them the right posting,” said Dr. Parameshwara.
Recently, an RTI application revealed that the State government incurs expenditure of nearly Rs. 80 crore a year for providing orderlies to police officers.
The average salary, including all benefits, of a police constable and head constable is about Rs. 2.5 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh a year. The Mahiti Hakku Adhyayana Kendra, Vijayanagar, Bengaluru, which conducted a social audit on orderlies, said that many were even working for retired senior police officers.
B.H. Veeresh, trustee of the kendra, said that even in the absence of orders, orderlies were asked to do tasks such as washing clothes, mopping, gardening, shopping, and pet-sitting. “Orderlies are being used as an alternative to domestic help,” he said. There have been instances of constables spending their entire service as orderlies, he said.
This week, the Home Minister decided to hold meetings with officials of Commissionerates of Belagavi, Mysuru, and Hubballi-Dharwad and review law and order. He has reviewed the functioning of the Commissionerate in Mangaluru. The issue of orderlies figured in this review process.
Orderlies are used for washing clothes and gardening, among others
An audit has revealed that they are working for retired officers too
State incurs expenditure of Rs. 80 crore a year for providing orderlies, reveals RTI application
