Manoj Agrawal appointed Bengal’s new Chief Election Officer, takes charge today

Manoj Kumar Agrawal, an officer from the 1990 IAS batch, has officially assumed the role of Chief Election Officer (CEO) of West Bengal. He took charge on Thursday at the state’s Chief Electoral Officer office. Agrawal’s appointment comes as part of a broader administrative reshuffling, with the state administration focusing on effective management of elections and governance.

Prior to his new role, Agrawal served as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Forest and Disaster Management Department. His extensive experience in handling key administrative tasks made him a strong candidate for the position of CEO. With his appointment, Agrawal is expected to oversee the conduct of free and fair elections in the state, maintaining transparency and efficiency in the process.

In the aftermath of Agrawal’s departure from the Forest and Disaster Management Department, several key changes have been made in the state administration. Debal Roy, an officer of the Indian Forest Service (IFS), has been appointed as the new Principal Secretary of the Forest Department. Roy will also take on the additional responsibility of Chief Conservator of Forests, overseeing the department’s environmental and forestry-related functions.

Rajesh Kumar Sinha, an IAS officer, will now manage the Disaster Management Department, taking on additional duties related to Housing, Sports, and Youth Welfare Departments. In the Food Processing and Horticulture Department, Smaraki Mahapatra has been given the additional charge of the West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation, a position previously held by P. Mohan.

Further administrative changes include Anshul Gupta’s appointment as CEO of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), while Mashankar S. K. has been made the Senior Special Secretary in the Agriculture Department. Pawan Kadian has succeeded the former IG Registration, taking over the role of IG. Meanwhile, P. Mohan Gandhi has been appointed as the Director of the Institute of Environmental Studies and Wetland Management.