Hours after the announcement of poll dates for four states and one Union Territory, the Election Commission of India(ECI) directed a change in guard within the West Bengal government.
Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty, who is seen as a close aide of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was replaced by Dushyant Nariala. Chakraborty was seen along with Banerjee at the I-PAC office in Kolkata during raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 8 in a coal smuggling scam.
The other change in guard is the appointment of Sanghamitra Ghosh as the Principal Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs. The change will come into effect by 3 pm on Monday as per the directives of the poll panel.
“I am directed to state that the Commission has reviewed the poll preparedness for the General Election to Legislative Assembly of West Bengal, 2026 and directs the following:-
i. Shri Dushyant Nariala, (IAS -1993) be posted as Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal
ii. Ms. Sanghamitra Ghosh, (IAS - 1997) be posted as Principal Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs, Govt. of West Bengal,” Reads the letter by ECI signed by ECI secretary Sujeet Kumar Mishra.
The letter stated that the officers transferred out will not be posted in any election-related work in the state till the completion of the poll process. This means that for the next two months, the officers who are transferred by the polling body will not be able to take any important charge.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into force in West Bengal soon after the announcement of poll dates. Political parties will have to watch their words to avoid any violations. The Trinamool Congress(TMC) has time and again attacked ECI over Special Intensive Revision(SIR) and other issues.
Elections to the West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, a change from earlier Assembly elections, which have seen seven to eight phases.
