2 Days, 2 Moves: Bengal CEO, EC’s SIR Observer Get Top Roles In Suvendu Adhikari Govt

Last Updated:May 11, 2026, 10:02 pm IST

Suvendu Adhikari reshuffles administration, appoints Subrata Gupta as advisor and Manoj Agarwal as Chief Secretary, ends extensions and nominated posts over age 60

Suvendu Official

Days after taking the oath as the chief minister of West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari has reshuffled officials in the administration and made some new appointments. The new government on Sunday appointed retired IAS officer Subrata Gupta as the Advisor to Adhikari.

Within the next 48 hours, West Bengal’s Chief Election Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal, who oversaw the recently held state assembly elections and Special Intensive Revision (SIR), was picked as the Chief Secretary.

Adhikari has recently decided to terminate the tenure of nominated members, directors, and chairpersons of various boards under the State Government. Additionally, he has decided to end the service extensions of individuals serving in various departments and boards of the State Government beyond the age of 60.

Former Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale questioned the government’s move and said this is beyond shameless.

TMC Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien took a jibe, saying this is “purely a coincidence, surely”.

TMC MP Sagrika Ghose said “neutral umpire” Manoj Agarwal is rewarded with the post of top bureaucrat of the BJP dispensation in West Bengal.

However, the BJP defended Agarwal’s appointment, saying it is in line with its promise to restore the dignity of the laws of the land.

“Unlike Mamta Banerjee, who had subverted the bureaucracy by blatantly flouting the rules governing the IAS by superseding dozens of officers, the BJP Government of West Bengal has appointed the senior most IAS officer working in the state, Shri Manoj Agarwal, as the Chief Secretary of West Bengal in keeping with it’s promise to restore the dignity of the laws of the land,” BJP said in a post on X.

Read More