CHENNAI: Just four days are left for Director General of Police T K Rajendran to hang up his boots, creating a vacancy for the top post in the State’s police force. But there seems to be no move yet for the appointment of the next chief.
Sources told Express that none of the top State government officials have so far travelled to New Delhi to have discussions with the UPSC over the matter.
The normal procedure is the State government would forward a list of candidates to the commission before making the appointment. This has led to speculation that the government may not immediately appoint a full-time DGP for Law and Order, but only assign it as an additional role for a DGP, who is holding some other portfolio.
In fact, Rajendran too was originally appointed as DGP (Intelligence) and was given DGP (Law and Order), the position that controls most of police force, as an additional charge. This comes with obvious advantages since a full-time chief cannot be transferred for at least two years due to an SC order that mandated a minimum tenure of two years for all operational posts in the police like the DGP (Law and Order).
“The process for appointments of two earlier DGPs - Ramanujan and Ashok Kumar - began one month ahead of the post falling vacant. But there is still no sign of either the home secretary or the chief secretary in discussions with the UPSC in this regard,” said a source privy to the matter. Home Secretary Niranjan Mardi and Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan did not respond to calls and texts.
Who are in the race for DGP?
There are four senior officers in the DGP cadre in the State. Though most of them are left with only a few months for retirement, appointment as DGP (Law and Order) would allow them to serve for a minimum of two years in the post.
The senior most among them is Archana Ramasundaram. She is currently on Central deputation and serving as Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), a paramilitary force. She belongs to the 1980 batch. She has 36 years of experience in police force; is 59 years and 9 months old and has three more months left for retirement
Next in seniority is K Radhakrishan who has 33 years experience in the force. He is currently serving as Director General of Police (Civil Supplies, CID department). He is a 1983-batch officer and has one month for retirement
The third senior officer is S George, who has 32 years of experience in the force and is currently heading the Fire and Rescue Services. He is a 1984-batch officer and has three months left for retirement
The fourth senior officer is K P Mahendran, who has 32 years of experience in the force and is currently serving as Director General of Police (Vigilance). He is a 1984-batch officer and has one-and-half more years left for retirement
Besides these four officers, there are three officers of the ADGP cadre, who are eligible for promotion to the DGP cadre and get posted as DGP (Law and Order). They are Sangaram Jangid, ADGP (Economic Offence Wing), J K Tripathy, ADGP (Law & Order) and C K Gandhirajan, ADGP (Enforcement)
Selection process
❶ The State government will forward a list of senior officers eligible for the post to the UPSC
❷ The UPSC will shortlist and send three names to the State government
❸ The government is free to do the cherry picking among the three shortlisted officers