A sweeping and rapid reshuffle in West Bengal’s bureaucracy following the announcement of the election schedule has triggered strong political reactions, with multiple high-ranking officials removed and reassigned
within days. The scale and speed of these changes have been described as unprecedented in the state’s administrative history.
Within hours of the Election Commission announcing the poll schedule, the state’s Chief Secretary, Nandini Chakraborty, and Home Secretary, Jagdish Prasad Meena, were removed and barred from performing any election-related duties. They were immediately replaced by Dushmanta Nariwala as the new Chief Secretary and Sanghamitra Ghosh as the new Home Secretary.
While administrative reshuffles ahead of elections are not uncommon, such swift changes in top positions within hours of the announcement have drawn sharp criticism from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has termed the move politically motivated.
A Wave of Transfers Since Sunday
Since Sunday, the Election Commission has removed more than 40 officials across various levels of the administration . Not only were they removed, but many of them have also been deputed as election observers in other poll-bound states.
The list of transferred officials includes some of the most senior figures in the state administration: the Director General of Police (DGP), DG (Law & Order), ADG (South Bengal), and IG (North Bengal).
All Police Commissioners, including those from Barrackpore, Howrah, Asansol, and Chandannagar, have been transferred. The Commissioners of Police of Bidhannagar and Siliguri have been sent to other states as election observers, with their replacements yet to be announced.
At the regional level, five Range DIGs — from Murshidabad, Bardhaman, Presidency Range, Raiganj, and Jalpaiguri — have been removed. Additionally, 12 District Superintendents of Police across key districts such as Cooch Behar, Birbhum, Hooghly Rural, Murshidabad, Malda, Purba Medinipur, and Paschim Medinipur have been transferred.
The reshuffle has extended beyond the police force. The DGP, DG (Law & Order, Commissioner of Kolkata Police, 12 District Magistrates, the Commissioner of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, and the District Election Officer (DEO) of Kolkata South have also been replaced.
Officers Sent as Observers
In a parallel move, 15 IPS officers — including Alok Rajoria, Akash Magharia, Amandeep, Abhijit Banerjee, Bhaskar Mukherjee, C Sudhakar, Dhritiman Sarkar, Indira Mukherjee, Murlidhar, Mukesh, Praveen Kumar Tripathi, Priyabrata Roy, Sandeep Karra, Rashid Munir Khan, and Syed Waquar Raza — have been appointed as election observers in other states.
Some IAS officers, including former Home Secretary JP Meena, have also been assigned observer roles.
Political Reactions
The massive administrative overhaul has sparked a sharp political divide.
The BJP has defended the Election Commission’s actions, arguing that the state administration had become politically biased. Speaking to News18, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said, “This is the administration which could not protect people during SIR. It has been politicised. The Election Commission has taken these steps to ensure free and fair elections.”
On the other hand, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly criticised the move, alleging that it is politically motivated and part of a larger plan by the BJP. She has also claimed that the changes are being carried out in a secretive manner.
Election Commission’s Stand
The Election Commission, however, has maintained that the steps are necessary to ensure a free, fair, and intimidation-free election. According to the Commission, these measures are aimed at maintaining neutrality and restoring public confidence in the electoral process.
A Rare Moment in Bengal’s Administrative History
Although bureaucratic reshuffles before elections are a known practice, the scale, speed, and depth of the current changes are rarely seen in West Bengal. The developments over the past few days have sent shockwaves through the state’s administrative machinery and set the stage for a high-stakes electoral battle ahead.
