Sources say otherwise:
"
Two independent sources have recently written to us to confirm something we had heard back when production first began. Even though Star Wars: Episode VII (as well as the following two sequels) will feature its share of new villians, the person pulling the strings, the real puppet master, the big bad of the trilogy is none other than Emperor Palpatine."
And in the photo in the first pages of this thread show a blow up shot of the new imperial banner with stormtroopers and in the background you see a man standing there, look closely and looks like this is CGI Palpatine (can see the distinct nose). Palpatine is the emperor and he will be back in one form or another. But he will be there.
And why did Disney sign a contract for Ian McDiarmid to be made available for 4 months in 2015 - 2016 ?