In a significant development, the central government has waived the mandatory cooling-off period of senior IPS officer Vidhi Kumar Birdi (IPS:2003:AGMUT), paving the way for his return to a central assignment ahead of schedule.
According to an order issued on Saturday (May 30, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved a proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to waive Birdi’s cooling-off period for another assignment at the Centre.
The move assumes significance as Birdi was prematurely repatriated from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in September 2023, where he was serving as Inspector General (IG), and was sent back to his parent cadre for posting in Jammu & Kashmir.
Originally a Jammu & Kashmir cadre officer, Birdi became part of the AGMUT cadre following the reorganization of the erstwhile state and the merger of the J&K cadre with AGMUT after the abrogation of Article 370.
After returning from central deputation, he joined the AGMUT cadre on October 13, 2023 and was subsequently appointed as Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone-I.
Under the existing central deputation guidelines, officers are generally required to complete a three-year cooling-off period in their parent cadre before becoming eligible for another central assignment. In Birdi’s case, the cooling-off period would have ended on October 13, 2026.
However, with the ACC now waiving this requirement, Birdi has become eligible for an immediate central posting, indicating that the government may be considering him for an important assignment at the Centre.
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