Tamil Nadu Removes Governor from Chief Secretary, DGP Appointment Process; Major Administrative Powers Shift to CM MK Stalin
In a landmark administrative decision that is expected to reshape the functioning of Tamil Nadu’s bureaucracy, the state government has eliminated the requirement of obtaining the Governor’s approval before appointing the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP). The move is part of a much broader overhaul of administrative procedures that significantly enhances the authority of the Chief Minister over key governance, financial, disciplinary and personnel matters.
The sweeping reforms have been introduced through a comprehensive standing order issued by the Human Resources Management Department on July 29, 2026. Signed by Chief Secretary Dr M. Sai Kumar (IAS:1990:TN), the order replaces every standing instruction issued between 2022 and 2025, including the most recent one notified in January this year.
Officials say the revised framework is designed to streamline decision-making, reduce administrative delays and strengthen executive accountability by concentrating several important powers within the elected government.
Governor No Longer Part of Appointment Process
One of the biggest changes introduced through the new order concerns appointments to the state’s two most powerful administrative posts. Under the revised system, the Tamil Nadu Government will no longer seek the Governor’s prior approval before appointing the Chief Secretary or the Head of Police Force, commonly designated as the Director General of Police (DGP).
Appointment orders for both positions can now be issued directly by the State Government.This marks a significant departure from the procedure followed under the Tamil Nadu Government Business Rules, 1978. For decades, gubernatorial approval formed an essential part of the appointment process before official orders could be issued for these constitutional positions.
Government officials believe the revised arrangement will make the appointment process quicker while ensuring that the elected executive exercises complete authority over senior administrative appointments.
Major Rewrite of Rule-35 Delegation Framework
The July 29 standing order goes far beyond the appointment process. It substantially revises the Rule-35 delegation framework, which governs how administrative powers are distributed across departments in the State Government.
The revised framework centralises a large number of important decisions by making the Chief Minister’s approval mandatory in several areas where departments or individual ministers earlier enjoyed greater autonomy.
The order has already been circulated to all Secretaries to Government, Heads of Departments, Ministers’ offices and the Governor’s Secretariat. With immediate implementation, the new administrative framework has officially replaced the earlier delegation system.
Chief Minister to Personally Clear Senior Bureaucratic Appointments
Perhaps the most far-reaching aspect of the reforms is the enhanced role assigned to the Chief Minister in matters relating to senior officers. Every proposal concerning appointments, transfers or postings involving top-level bureaucrats must now be placed before the Chief Minister before any final decision is taken.
The revised order specifically covers files relating to:
Secretaries to Government
Heads of Departments
IAS officers
IPS officers
Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers
Additional Secretaries
District Revenue Officers
Superintendents of Police
Previously, many of these matters could be processed and approved at the departmental or ministerial level. Under the revised framework, however, the Chief Minister’s Office becomes the central authority for deciding virtually every important personnel matter involving senior officers. Administrative observers say the change significantly strengthens central coordination within the State Government while ensuring uniformity in key appointments and transfers.
