In an order dated May 11, it read, “The Governor is pleased to appoint Shri Manoj Kumar Agarwal, IAS (WB:1990), Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal and ex-officio Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs (Election) Department, Govt. of West Bengal as Chief Secretary to the Government of West Bengal…’
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Agarwal was a former Bengal food and supplies secretary and had filed an FIR over PDS irregularities in 2018.
A former IITian with a chequered career was the chief electoral officer of West Bengal and conducted the 2026 Assembly polls in Bengal successfully. He has served in various posts during his tenure.
A 1990 batch officer, was the Personal Secretary of late Priyaranjan Dasmunsi at New Delhi. He was known to be close to Dasmunsi.
Meanwhile, Dushyant Nariala, a 1993 batch IAS, and the present chief secretary, who was appointed during ECI reshuffle, as Principal Resident Commissioner New Delhi, was filed against Agarwal in connection with a case of disproportionate assets, filed by the CBI in 2009. However, that case was dismissed in 2015.
Agarwal today conducted meetings with administrative officials at the state secretariat.
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Agarwal’s appointment comes a day after Subrata Gupta who was EC’s special observer, ECI, was appointed as the advisor to chief minister.
