US EditionEC orders appointment of Dushyant Nariala as new chief secretary of poll-bound West Bengal.
The Election Commission replaced key bureaucrats and police officials to enforce the Model Code of Conduct ahead of West Bengal's two-phase Assembly elections in April.
- The Election Commission of India directed on March 16, 2026 that Dushyant Nariala, IAS-1993, be posted as Chief Secretary with a report due by 3 pm on Monday.
- After a review of poll preparedness, the ECI found the reshuffle followed enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct and came hours after the Assembly poll schedule announcement.
- The ECI also ordered a major police reshuffle, naming Siddh Nath Gupta as DGP, replacing Peeyush Pandey, Ajay Kumar Nand as Kolkata Police Commissioner, and posting Natarajan Ramesh Babu and Ajay Mukund Ranade to senior roles.
- The commission mandated that transferred officers shall not be posted in election-related posts till polls end, and Nandini Chakravarty, outgoing Chief Secretary, will be kept away from poll assignments.
- Looking to the calendar, the state goes to polls on April 23 and 29 with counting on May 4, and the reshuffle was described as unprecedented in West Bengal's recent history.
26 Articles
26 Articles
EC removes Bengal's senior officials, including Chief Secretary, DGP, hours after announcing poll schedule
Hours after announcing the Assembly election schedule in West Bengal, the Election Commission of India (ECI) removed two senior bureaucrats of the government led by Mamata Banerjee, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty. The poll panel appointed Dushyant Nariala as the new Chief Secretary of the state and said Chakravorty would be kept away from all poll-related assignments during the election period. The Commission also removed the stat…
EC orders appointment of new chief secy in poll -bound West Bengal
New Delhi, Mar 16 (PTI) The Election Commission has ordered the appointment of Dushyant Nariala as the new chief secretary of West Bengal which goes to assembly polls in two phases next month. Till now Nandini Chakravarty was the state chief secretary. In a letter to the state government sent on Sunday night, the poll […]
ECI Transfers West Bengal Chief Secretary, Home Secretary Ahead of Assembly Polls
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. "I am directed to state that the Commission has reviewed the poll preparedness for the General Election to Legislative Assembly of West Bengal, 2026 and directs the following: Dushyant Nariala, (IAS-1993) be posted as Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal. Sanghamitra Ghosh, (IAS-1997) be posted as Principal Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs, Govt. of West Bengal," the letter signed by Sujeet …
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