THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With DGP Shaik Darvesh Saheb set to retire on Monday, the state government will convene a special virtual cabinet meeting the same day to finalise the appointment of the next state police chief. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to announce the decision after the meeting.
Although the UPSC has recommended a panel of three senior IPS officers — Ravada A Chandrasekhar, Nitin Agrawal and Yogesh Gupta — speculation continues over who will be chosen.
Police department sources indicate that Chandrasekhar, a 1991-batch IPS officer currently serving as a special director with the Intelligence Bureau, remains the frontrunner. Reportedly, he is unofficially being asked to return to the state on Monday, in anticipation of his appointment.
Given that political factors may influence the outcome, if opposition arises, Agrawal is likely to be considered as an alternative, a senior police officer said.
“There was uncertainty till the last moment during the appointment of the previous DGP too. Official confirmation will only come after the cabinet decision. For now, it appears the appointment will be made from the UPSC-recommended list,” the officer said.
The government had earlier explored the possibility of appointing an acting or in-charge DGP, but eventually opted for a regular appointment from the UPSC panel.
If selected, Chandrasekhar will be eligible for a one-year extension to fulfil the Supreme Court’s mandate that DGPs should have a minimum tenure of two years.