Suvendu Govt Appoints Manoj Agrawal Who Oversaw Assembly Polls, SIR As Chief Secretary

Manoj Agrawal, who served as West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer during the Assembly elections, has been appointed the state’s new Chief Secretary under the BJP government led by Suvendu Adhikari. A 1990-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, Agrawal supervised the Election Commission-mandated Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise ahead of the polls, during which nearly 91 lakh names were removed from the electoral rolls. His appointment comes shortly after the BJP registered a historic victory in the state Assembly elections.

Key Appointment

According to an official order issued on Monday, incumbent Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala has been appointed Principal Resident Commissioner in New Delhi. Nariala, a 1993-batch IAS officer, had earlier been appointed as West Bengal’s Chief Secretary by the Election Commission after the removal of former top bureaucrat Nandini Chakravorty.

The BJP secured a landslide victory in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly, winning 207 seats and ending the long rule of the Trinamool Congress, which was reduced to 80 seats.

Also Read: TMC Says SIR Deletions Exceeded BJP Victory Margins In 31 Seats; Here’s What SC Said

Major Decisions

Soon after assuming office, the new BJP administration initiated a series of significant administrative changes. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari decided to terminate the tenure of nominated members, directors and chairpersons serving on various state government boards.

The government has also moved to end service extensions granted to individuals working in departments and boards beyond the age of 60. The decisions are being viewed as part of a broader administrative overhaul by the newly formed government.

Political observers see the latest appointments and policy measures as an indication that the BJP government intends to swiftly restructure the state administration following its first-ever electoral victory in West Bengal.

Also Read: Bengal BJP Govt Finalises Key Portfolios, Takes Big Decisions In First Cabinet Meet