By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: This came to light after an official RTI response from the Government of Odisha’s Home (Special Section) Department, dated February 12, 2026 (No. 522/C, Bhubaneswar) supplied to query under the RTI Act, 2005, from RTI activist Pradip Kumar Pradhan regarding security cover for Ex IAS V.K. Pandian and Smt. Sujata Karthikeyan (his wife, Sujata Rout Karthikeyan, also a former IAS officer).
The response explicitly states: “presently no security cover is provided to Shri VK Pandian and Smt. Sujata Karthikeyan as per the SLSC meetings in 2024 and 2025.”
SLSC refers to the State Level Security Committee, which assesses and decides threat perceptions and security categories for individuals in Odisha.
As of February 12, 2026 (and thus currently in mid-February 2026), neither VK Pandian nor his wife receives any state-provided security cover. This is based on reviews/updates from the SLSC in 2024 and 2025.
During the previous BJD government (under Naveen Patnaik), VK Pandian (a retired IAS officer, former Private Secretary to the CM, and later 5T Chairman/BDJ leader) received extensive security — reports from 2024 cited up to 74 police personnel deployed (including PSOs, house guards, escorts, etc.), which became a major controversy and RTI flashpoint. Activists faced police cases over sharing such details, alleging it was excessive for a non-elected official.
After the BJP came to power in Odisha (post-2024 elections), there were reported reductions in security for several former BJD-era figures, including Pandian.
For instance, In mid-2024, security barricades outside his Bhubaneswar residence were removed.By late 2024/early 2025, his detail was downgraded (like, removal of PSOs and other personnel).
The 2026 RTI reply confirms the process has culminated in zero security cover now, aligning with standard protocol reviews after changes in government and threat assessments.
Security cover in India (especially state-provided) is not permanent and depends on periodic threat perception reviews by committees like SLSC. For former officials or political figures without current high-risk roles, it can be withdrawn if no credible threat exists. This RTI appears to settle ongoing debates/RTI battles from 2024–2025 about his past extravagant arrangements. No recent public reports (as of now) contradict this — it fits the pattern of phased withdrawal since 2024.
