Chennai: In a significant administrative exercise aimed at strengthening law and order and improving police administration, the Tamil Nadu government, under the leadership of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, has ordered a large-scale reshuffle of 70 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers across the state. The changes, which include promotions and fresh postings, will come into effect from January 1, 2026.
The reshuffle covers senior-level promotions, changes in leadership of major police commissionerates, and appointments in specialised wings such as Cyber Crime, Economic Offences, CBCID, Armed Police, and Prisons.
Promotions Across Senior IPS Ranks
As per the official government order, 30 IPS officers have been promoted across various senior ranks. The promotion breakup is as follows –
- 3 officers promoted to Additional Director General of Police (ADGP)
- 7 officers promoted to Inspector General of Police (IG)
- 3 officers promoted to Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)
- 15 officers promoted to Superintendent of Police (SP)
- 2 officers promoted to Additional Superintendent of Police (Additional SP)
In addition to promotions, a total of 70 IPS officers have been transferred and assigned new postings across different regions and departments of the state police.
New DGP-Level Appointments Announced
The reshuffle includes key appointments at the Director General of Police (DGP) level, strengthening leadership in critical wings –
- S. Davidson Devasirvatham has been promoted to the rank of DGP and posted as DGP, Armed Police.
- Dr Sandeep Mittal has been promoted to DGP and appointed to head the Cyber Crime Wing.
- B. Bala Naga Devi has been promoted to DGP and posted as DGP, Economic Offences Wing, with additional charge of the Civil Supplies CID.
Key ADGP and Commissioner-Level Postings
Several crucial postings have been made at the ADGP and Police Commissioner levels, impacting law enforcement in major urban and specialised jurisdictions –
- Dr Maheshwar Dayal has been appointed ADGP (Law and Order), Chennai, succeeding S. Davidson Devasirvatham.
- T.S. Anbu has been promoted and posted as ADGP, CB-CID.
- Prem Anand Sinha has been promoted to the rank of ADGP and appointed Commissioner of Police, Avadi, succeeding K. Shankar.
- K. Shankar, the outgoing Avadi Commissioner, has been posted to head the Prisons Department.
- A. Amalraj has been appointed Commissioner of Police, Tambaram.
- Abhin Dinesh Modak, the outgoing Tambaram Commissioner, has been transferred and posted as ADGP, Enforcement Bureau CID.
Reshuffle Covers Specialised Wings and Key Departments
The reshuffle has brought new leadership across several specialised police wings, including –
- Armed Police
- Cyber Crime Wing
- Economic Offences Wing
- Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID)
- Enforcement Bureau CID
- Police Welfare
- Prisons Department
- Commando Forces
- Women and Children Crime Prevention Wings
These changes are aimed at improving operational efficiency, accountability, and coordination within the state police force.
Government Order Issued by Home Department
The detailed reshuffle and promotion order was issued by Dheeraj Kumar, Home Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu. The order lists promotions, transfers, and postings across ranks and departments, marking one of the most extensive IPS reshuffles in recent years.
Annual Year-End Promotion and Transfer Exercise
Since assuming office, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has followed the practice of announcing IPS promotions and transfers annually around December 30 or 31. In line with this established tradition, the 2026 IPS promotion and transfer list was released late on Tuesday night.
IAS Transfers Also Ordered
Alongside the IPS reshuffle, the Tamil Nadu government has also ordered the transfer of nine IAS officers to key administrative departments, indicating a broader administrative realignment at the close of the year.
