Shillong, Aug. 31: At least five senior officers are likely to be empanelled by the state security commission before one of them is chosen for the post of Meghalaya director-general of police.

Sources said the senior IPS officers include Y.C. Modi (1984 batch) and P.S. Purohit (1985 batch) both on deputation to the Centre, Raghvendra Awasthi (1985 batch) who is at present the Meghalaya DGP (civil defence and home guards), besides S.B. Singh (1986 batch), the present Meghalaya additional DGP, and R.P. Agrawal (1986 batch), who is also on deputation to the Centre.

A meeting of the commission chaired by chief minister Mukul Sangma here today decided to appoint a full time DGP by choosing one from among these senior IPS officers.

Home minister H.D.R Lyngdoh and other members of the commission were present at the meeting.

S.K. Jain is the acting Meghalaya DGP. He took charge after former DGP Rajiv Mehta retired on June 30.

Mukul said eligible IPS officers interested in the post of DGP should also indicate their willingness to take up the responsibility.

He said the commission decided to provide an opportunity to willing officers to take up the job so that any eligible officer selected for the post should not decline the appointment.

"We had seen in the past that some officers selected for the DGP post declined to accept the offer even after the commission decided on the name from among the empanelled officers," he said.