Chennai, The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered the Tamil Nadu government to totally abolish the orderly system in the state within four months.

It also directed the government to conduct inquiries on complaints that orderly system was still prevalent in the houses of higher officials, including of the police, in the state.

A bench of Justice S.M. Subramaniam, while passing final orders, directed the state government to eradicate the system of orderlies as per the GO passed in 1979 and ordered that the said exercise be completed within a period of four months from the date of receipt of a copy of the order.

The final orders, on a petition filed by a retired police officer regarding the illegal occupation of government quarters, read: "Based on the counter-affidavit filed by the fourth respondent and the respective undertakings furnished by the police officials, the respondents are directed to ensure that the practice of orderly system stands eradicated in entirety."

The judge also directed the officials to find out about illegal occupation and initiate action for eviction under the provisions of the statute and the Rules in force.

Justice Subramanian also directed higher officials including the state Home Secretary and the Director General of Police to withdraw the orderlies, if deputed to the residences of officials including retired officials, with immediate effect.

The high court judge also recorded an undertaking given by Tamil Nadu DGP, C. Sylendra Babu that none of the police personnel deployed on duties like wireless operations, and security at his residence are being given any other duty other than for what they were assigned.