COIMBATORE: Stalled promotions in the Tamil Nadu police department have left nearly 1,000 officers of the 1999 direct recruited batch of sub-inspectors in limbo across the state for nearly two decades.
Despite completing 27 years of service, members of the batch have secured just one promotion, to the rank of inspector, in 2008. They have remained as inspectors for the past 18 years, missing out on promotion to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) posts due to legal hurdles.
The delay in promotion of these officers has also affected the elevation of officers of other batches and over 140 DSP posts are lying vacant across TN, sources said.
The frustrated inspectors, who have remained in the same rank for more than 18 years, have now urged the department to resolve the issue by presenting their position before the court.
Speaking to TNIE, Director General of Police (DGP) Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal said, “The department is closely following up the issue as we are also eager to promote our officers.”
According to an inspector, who requested anonymity, “Due to the department’s delay in resolving the issue, 968 inspectors continue to await promotion even though their eligibility arose six years ago. Some of them are due for retirement in the next two to three years.”
Another inspector pointedout that the problem is not confined to a single batch. “Officers from the 2004 batch of sub-inspectors, who are now serving as inspectors, are also awaiting their long-overdue promotion to DSP posts. The continued delay has led to a noticeable decline in job satisfaction and motivation. Moreover, SIs of the 2016-batch have not been promoted to inspector posts as the 1999-batch inspectors have not been elevated as DSPs.”
DGP Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal said, “The promotion is stuck due to pending cases and an HC stay order. The 1997-98 directly recruited SIs were sent for training in two batches in the years 1999 and 2000. Their inter-se seniority was fixed as per their training marks in 2021 and it was subsequently revised in March 2026 as per selection marks in accordance with the orders of the Supreme Court. They have reached the zone of consideration for promotion as DSP in the panel year 2025-26.”
“The (police department) order passed in March 2026 was challenged in WP No 10338 of 2026 by Manimaran and others who were selected in 1994-95 but underwent training in 2000 and were placed below the 1997-98 batch. The petitioners had sought seniority along with their original batch of 1994-95. The Madras High Court issued an interim stay on March 17, 2026, and extended it till August 10, 2026. Hence, the department could not pursue the promotion of the 1997-98 batch officers as DSPs,” he added.
