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Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice

Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala lead the way in ending the orderly system. Will North follow?

Madras High Court has ordered strict compliance with Tamil Nadu's abolition of the 'orderly system'. In ending this colonial-era practice, southern states are torchbearers of social reform.

 A recent Madras High Court order on constables performing functions as orderlies has possible pan-India implications. It could have a far-reaching impact on the architecture of police governance, especially the dignity of those ‘at the bottom of the pyramid’.

That this did not make it to the front pages of the so-called national press (a euphemism for newspapers published from the NCR) is not surprising, for the North is certainly more ‘feudal’ than its southern counterparts.

On 11 March 2026, Justices SM Subramaniam and K Surender of the Madras High Court gave clear directions to the Tamil Nadu government to ensure cent percent compliance with its own 21 January order with regard to the abolition of the pernicious ‘orderly system’ in the state police, including action against District Collectors and police officials who fail to enforce the policy.  The order was issued after a petition for police protection exposed that the force was short-staffed because constables were being misused as orderlies in the households of senior officers. The issue was not new — in 2022, the Madras High Court had already directed the state to eradicate the ‘orderly system’, reviving a much earlier government ban on the practice.

It is true that immediately after taking over as the Director General & Head of Police Force (HoPF) of Tamil Nadu in December 2025, Abhay Kumar Singh had reiterated his commitment to follow the extant order on the subject in letter and spirit. But within a week, newspapers reported serious breaches of this order. Subsequently, the government announced the establishment of a committee under each District Collector to report compliance to the Home Department before the tenth day of every alternate month.

Earlier this month, in the neighbouring state of Karnataka, the DGP KA Saleem ordered the withdrawal of 3,000 constables on orderly duty from the residences of serving and retired police officers. For the record, the system had been officially banned in 2017 following widespread criticism and protests within the constabulary. Likewise, the Kerala government had abolished the ‘camp follower system’ eight years ago after allegations of........

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