Bengal Govt elevates IPS Ajay Mukund Ranade to DGP (Law and Order)
The race for the highest bureaucratic post in West Bengal has intensified as the tenure of the incumbent Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant, is set to conclude on December 31, 2025. Pant, a 1991-batch IAS officer, is currently serving a six-month extension that was granted in June with the approval of the Central Government.
As his superannuation nears, the state administration is abuzz with discussions about whether he will receive another rare extension or if a new official will take the helm at Nabanna. According to administrative sources, the state government is actively considering three senior IAS officers for the coveted role. Leading the race are Nandini Chakravorty and Vivek Kumar.
In July, the Centre approved a six-month extension for Manoj Kumar Pant, the current Chief Secretary of Bengal. Since taking over as the Chief Secretary, Pant has played a key role in dealing with the agitation of the junior doctors after last year’s rape and murder at the RG Kar Medical