West Bengal's CEO Manoj Agarwal Appointed New Chief Secretary

Manoj Agarwal, who served as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of the state. This significant administrative change comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed the government in West Bengal, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Agarwal, a seasoned Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1990 batch of the West Bengal cadre, officially took charge on May 11, 2026.. His predecessor, Dushyant Nariala, a 1993-batch IAS officer, has been transferred and will now serve as the Principal Resident Commissioner in New Delhi.. The appointment of Agarwal to the top bureaucratic post in the state has garnered attention due to his recent role in overseeing the electoral process, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the 2026 Assembly polls.. This exercise reportedly led to the removal of approximately 91 lakh voters from the electoral rolls.. During his tenure as CEO, Agarwal faced criticism from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which accused him of bias and partisan conduct in favor of the BJP.. The TMC had lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India, alleging that Agarwal misused his power to influence voters.. The TMC's concerns stemmed from the scale and the political implications of the SIR exercise.. Agarwal's appointment as CEO itself was preceded by a controversy, as the Election Commission had initially rejected the state government's shortlist and requested a revised panel, eventually selecting Agarwal from a pool of officers nearing retirement.. The rationale behind selecting an officer close to retirement was to ensure they would be less susceptible to political pressure during the election cycle.. The current appointment of Agarwal as Chief Secretary is seen as a move by the new BJP administration to restructure the state's top bureaucracy.. The BJP has emphasized that this appointment adheres to the principle of seniority, stating that Agarwal is the seniormost IAS officer working in the state and that this aligns with their promise to restore the dignity of the law.. This contrasts with the previous administration, which the BJP alleged had subverted the bureaucracy by superseding officers.. Another significant appointment made by the new government is that of Subrata Gupta, a former special observer for the Election Commission in West Bengal. Gupta has been appointed as an advisor to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.. Both Agarwal and Gupta were key figures in the election management and oversight, leading to some discussion and concern regarding the proximity of election officials to the new political leadership.. Questions of propriety and potential conflict of interest have been raised by the opposition parties, as these officials were expected to maintain impartiality during the electoral process.. Manoj Agarwal's career in the West Bengal cadre has included various significant roles, such as District Magistrate of Uttar Dinajpur and Principal Secretary in the state's Food and Supplies Department.. He is described as a firm administrator who adheres to procedures.. His upcoming retirement is scheduled for July 2026, shortly after assuming the Chief Secretary role.. The News18 article, the primary source for this verification, accurately reports on Agarwal's appointment as Chief Secretary, his previous role as CEO overseeing the assembly polls, and the context of the political change in West Bengal. The timeline of events, including the announcement on May 11, 2026, is consistent across multiple credible news sources.

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