Thiruvananthapuram: Intelligence Chief T K Vinod Kumar is to succeed Human Rights Commission Investigation Director Tomin Thachankary in his position. The latter who is an Indian Police Officer in the rank of Director General of Police, is to retire at the end of this month.

Vinod Kumar, a 1992 batch IPS officer, has a service period until August 2025.

Vinod surpasses his senior officers, Harinath Misra (90 batch) and Ravada Chandrashekhar (91 batch), as they are currently on Central deputation. 

However, in the order promoting Sanjeeb Kumar Patjoshi as the DGP and posting him as the chief of Fire and Rescue department, the aforementioned officers also have been given the DGP rank.

Four DGPs
The Centre has allowed 2 cadre posts and 2-ex cadre posts for DGPs in the State. State Police Chief S Darvesh Sahib and Jail chief DGP Padmakumar are serving cadre posts.

Human Rights Commission Investigation Director DGP Tomin Thachankari and Sanjeeb Kumar Patjoshi serve the ex-cadre positions. 

The Centre has allowed the posts of State Police Chief and Vigilance chief under cadre positions. However, as ADGP Manoj Abraham serves as the Vigilance head, the Prisons Chief with the DGP rank was given the cadre post.

The Government can decide on which posts must be made ex-cadre positions. Nevertheless, if the number exceeds 4, the Accountant General will not sanction the pay bill. Earlier, when 5 officers were given DGP ranks at the same time, the AG had stopped it. The fifth person only got the pay for the ADGP position.

Though Kerala has been requesting the Central Government to increase the number of cadre posts for DGP rank officers in the State for a long time, there has been no favourable response yet.