Neelam Meena appointed as West Bengal’s new Chief Electoral Officer

The Election Commission of India has appointed Neelam Meena, a 1998-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, as the new Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal. According to the official notification issued by the Election Commission on May 25, 2026, she has been appointed in place of Manoj Kumar Agarwal, IAS, and will assume charge with immediate effect. Neelam Meena is currently serving as the Principal Secretary of the Consumer Affairs Department, a position she has held since February 19, 2024. Born on February 5, 1970, she holds B.Sc. and M.A. degrees and remains in active administrative service.

During her administrative career, Neelam Meena has held several important positions within the West Bengal government and administrative framework. Her previous assignments include roles as Principal Secretary, Director, Secretary, Deputy Chairman, Private Secretary, District Collector and Magistrate, Joint Secretary, Chief Executive Officer, Additional District Magistrate, Additional Director, Sub-Divisional Officer, Executive Magistrate, and Assistant Magistrate. She is proficient in English and Hindi and has served across multiple departments and administrative responsibilities during her tenure as an IAS officer.

The official notification issued by the Secretariat of the Election Commission of India stated that Neelam Meena would cease to hold and hand over any other charges under the Government of West Bengal before assuming office as Chief Electoral Officer. The order further specified that while functioning as the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, she would not hold any additional charge under the state government except being designated as Principal Secretary in charge of the Election Department in the State Secretariat.