With the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) likely to defer the Empanelment Committee Meeting (ECM) again, the appointment of a regular DGP for Tamil Nadu is going to be delayed further.
The meeting was virtually scheduled for April 23, 2026, but it bound to be postponed as the date coincides with the polling for the Assembly elections in the state. Under this circumstance, the state govt has conveyed that its Chief Secretary and Home Secretary would not be able to attend the empanelment meeting.
This is the second time that the ECM is being deferred. The earlier meeting called on March 20, 2026, was postponed even after the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary had reached Delhi, as some representatives of the Union Government could not attend.
Days after the first ECM was postponed, the election was announced, and the Election Commission of India (EC) appointed Sandeep Rai Rathore (IPS:1992:TN) as the DGP/HoPF, replacing G. Venkatraman (IPS:1994:TN), who was serving as acting DGP.
According to sources, the UPSC would finalise a fresh date for the ECM after the election process was over. The Model Code of Conduct, which is in force in Tamil Nadu, would continue till May 7, 2026.
Though the Supreme Court had ordered on February 12, 2026, to complete the process of appointing a regular DGP within three weeks, but the process was delayed on the part of the UPSC due to various reasons. As the situation stands, the top three officers in the order of seniority are Seema Agrawal (IPS:1990:TN), Rajeev Kumar (IPS:1992:TN), and Sandeep Rai Rathore.
In the next ECM, expected to be held sometime in May, the names of three shortlisted officers will be finalised and communicated to the state government to choose one of them as regular DGP.
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