Former ECI special observer Subrata Gupta appointed adviser to CM Suvendu Adhikari

Former IAS officer Subrata Gupta, who served as a Special Observer during the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, has been appointed as an adviser to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari following the formation of the new BJP government in the state. The appointment was made under orders issued by Governor R. N. Ravi shortly after the swearing-in of the new government.

Subrata Gupta had been deployed by the Election Commission during the Assembly elections to oversee the conduct of polling in West Bengal. He remained actively involved throughout the election process. During the elections, polling in the state was conducted without major incidents of violence, and no deaths were reported during the polling phase. There were also no major allegations of booth capturing or large-scale rigging during voting.

According to political circles, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal and Special Observer Subrata Gupta played an important role in monitoring and conducting the election process across the state. After the elections concluded, Suvendu Adhikari reportedly held a meeting with Subrata Gupta and discussed administrative matters with him. Following the meeting, he was reportedly offered the role of adviser to the Chief Minister.

The Election Commission officially relieved Subrata Gupta from his responsibilities as Special Observer on May 7. Soon afterward, the state government issued a formal notification confirming his appointment as adviser to the Chief Minister. Subrata Gupta was also present at the BJP government’s swearing-in ceremony held at Brigade Parade Ground on Saturday. Speaking at the venue, he described the occasion as “one of the important stages of democracy.”

Alongside the appointment of Subrata Gupta, IAS officer Shantanu Bala was appointed as the Private Secretary to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. A 2017-batch IAS officer, Shantanu Bala had previously been serving as the Additional District Magistrate of South 24 Parganas district before receiving the new assignment in the Chief Minister’s Office.