In a major development for Tamil Nadu’s policing and administrative setup, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has cleared a panel of three senior IPS officers for appointment as the next Director General of Police (DGP) and Head of the Police Force (HoPF) in the state.
Sources said the Tamil Nadu government is expected to appoint one of the shortlisted officers to the coveted top post soon.
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Three Senior IPS Officers Shortlisted
The officers empanelled by the UPSC are:
- Rajeev Kumar, a 1992-batch IPS officer, currently serving as DGP (Training)
- Sandeep Rai Rathore, a 1992-batch IPS officer presently serving as Tamil Nadu HoPF
- Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, a 1994-batch IPS officer currently posted as Special Director General of Police in the Border Security Force (BSF)
The final decision is likely to be taken by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in the coming days.
Tamil Nadu Awaiting Permanent Police Chief Since 2025
Tamil Nadu has been without a permanent police chief since the retirement of former DGP Shankar Jiwal on August 31, 2025.
Following his retirement, the DMK government appointed G Venkatraman as in-charge DGP, a move that drew criticism from several quarters for allegedly bypassing Supreme Court guidelines regarding the appointment of state police chiefs.
Election Commission’s Intervention Ahead of Polls
Ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India stepped in and appointed Sandeep Rai Rathore as Head of the Police Force in April 2026, replacing Venkatraman.
The UPSC’s clearance of the three-member panel is now expected to pave the way for the appointment of a full-time DGP for the state.
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