The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is gearing up for a pivotal Empanelment Committee Meeting (ECM) in New Delhi on September 26, 2025. During this eagerly awaited session, three top-ranking Director-General of Police (DGP) officers will be shortlisted for the significant role of DGP/Head of Police Force (HoPF) in Tamil Nadu, according to police sources on Monday, September 15, 2025.
This crucial ECM will be presided over by the UPSC Chairman. Other key members on the committee will include the Union Home Secretary, the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu, and a designated officer from Central Police Organisations or Central Armed Police Forces, nominated by the Ministry of Home Affairs. This nominated officer must not be from the same cadre as the potential DGP appointees.
Interestingly, while the sitting State DGP usually participates, this time only the Chief Secretary will be present. This is because G. Venkatraman, who currently serves as the interim DGP/HoPF, is himself a contender for the permanent position.
The committee’s primary task is to finalize a panel of three eligible DGP-rank officers. From this select group, one will be chosen to serve as the regular DGP/HoPF, guaranteeing a minimum tenure of two years, irrespective of their superannuation date. Based on their seniority, Seema Agrawal, Rajeev Kumar, and Sandeep Rai Rathore currently lead the list of eight officers submitted to the UPSC.
Other notable names in consideration include K. Vannia Perumal, Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, G. Venkatraman, Vinit Dev Wankhede, and Sanjay Mathur. However, DGPs Pramod Kumar and Abhay Kumar Singh, despite expressing interest, are unlikely to be shortlisted as they have less than six months remaining in their service.
The momentum to appoint a permanent DGP/HoPF intensified after the Tamil Nadu government faced a contempt of court case in the Supreme Court. The case alleged non-compliance with the court’s directives in the landmark Prakash Singh case.
The State government had previously contended that the appointment was delayed due to an officer’s petition at the Central Administrative Tribunal, seeking inclusion of his name in the panel. This petition was dismissed on April 30, 2025. Following this, the Supreme Court, on September 9, 2025, urged the UPSC to handle the matter ‘expeditiously.’ The apex court further instructed the State government to appoint a regular DGP promptly once the UPSC finalizes its panel.
In line with a new ‘Single Window System’ for DGP empanelments introduced by the UPSC this year, State Chief Secretaries are now required to certify officers’ eligibility and provide an Integrity Certificate before the ECM. A senior police officer indicated that if the three names are confirmed on September 26, the State government is prepared to issue immediate orders, potentially having a regular DGP in place by October 1, 2025, even with a slight delay.