The Kerala government is reportedly dissatisfied with the likely panel of names to be included by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the appointment of the next state police chief. The list, expected to be finalised by the Centre, includes Mr. Nitin Agarwal (1989-batch Kerala cadre IPS officer), Mr. Ravada Chandrasekhar (1991-batch Kerala cadre IPS officer), and Mr. Yogesh Gupta (1993-batch Kerala cadre IPS officer).
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As per norms, the state government can appoint a Director General of Police (DGP) only from this shortlisted panel. However, with the state reportedly unhappy with these choices, there is growing speculation that Kerala may opt to continue with an in-charge DGP, as several other states—including Uttar Pradesh—have done in similar situations. The possibility of retaining an acting police chief until the retirement of the shortlisted officers is also under consideration.
The Centre prepares the panel based on criteria such as seniority and experience. If Mr. Nitin Agarwal is excluded from the final list, there is a possibility that Mr. Manoj Abraham (1994-batch Kerala cadre IPS officer) may be included. Sources suggest that he has a strong chance of being appointed if his name appears in the final shortlist.
The list of names originally sent to the Centre by the Kerala government comprised Mr. Nitin Agarwal, Mr. Ravada Chandrasekhar, Mr. Yogesh Gupta, Mr. Manoj Abraham, Mr. Suresh Raj Purohit, and Mr. M.R. Ajith Kumar (all Kerala cadre IPS officers from the 1989–1995 batches).
The final decision is awaited, but the state’s reluctance to proceed with the current likely panel signals a possible delay or an interim arrangement in the leadership of the police force.
