Thiruvananthapuram: R. Sreelekha — a retired Director General of Police and the first woman IPS officer from Kerala — is contesting the upcoming Thiruvananthapuram Corporation election from the Sasthamangalam ward as the candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). During her campaign, posters and banners featured her name along with the designation “IPS.”

This prompted a formal complaint by fellow contestant T. S. Reshmi of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who argued that continued use of “IPS” after retirement misled voters into thinking she still held an official police position. The complaint was filed with the Returning Officer on the morning of 26 November 2025.

Election commission directive and poster changes

Acting on the complaint, the State Election Commission, Kerala (SEC) ordered removal of the “IPS” label from all campaign materials. Posters found bearing the tag were either blackened out or updated to read “Retd IPS.”

By evening of 26 November, BJP campaigners had replaced or altered posters in affected areas. Some retained the “IPS” initials with the prefix “Retd,” while others removed the designation entirely.

Legal / regulatory context

The directive aligns with guidelines that restrict the use of official service designations or titles (such as “IPS”, “IAS”, etc.) in election advertising or campaign materials — particularly for retired officials running for office. While Kerala does not publish a publicly available “blacklist” of prohibited titles, repeated precedents show commissions deem such use an unfair advantage or misleading portrayal of current holding.

Moreover, under the SEC’s model code of conduct, all campaign materials (posters, banners, boards) must be authorised and registered; misuse or unauthorised content must be removed on notice by District Election Officers (DEOs).

Candidate reaction and political implications

Sreelekha stated that she was not formally asked to take down the posters and claimed ignorance of any law barring use of the “IPS” tag. She argued that her public identity and record are well known, and that removing the tag would not materially affect her candidature. She reportedly asked party workers to confine mention of “IPS (Retd)” to graffiti alone.

However, political analysts say the removal could weaken the symbolic appeal of her law‑and‑order credentials — especially among voters for whom the “IPS” tag signalled authority and administrative experience. The episode underscores the fine balance between personal background and fair electoral contest rules.