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NEW DELHI: Days aft conceding a large decision successful West Bengal, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress has launched a crisp onslaught connected the recently formed BJP authorities successful the authorities implicit the assignment of erstwhile main electoral serviceman Manoj Agarwal arsenic main secretary.
The absorption enactment termed the determination “shameless” and questioned the neutrality of the predetermination process.The TMC highlighted that Agarwal, who oversaw the precocious concluded assembly elections successful West Bengal arsenic the Election Commission’s apical authorities official, has present been appointed to the highest bureaucratic station successful the BJP-led authorities government.Trinamool Congress person Saket Gokhale wrote connected X: “Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Aggarwal, who conducted the West Bengal predetermination for the EC, has been appointed main caput of Bengal by the caller BJP Govt.“BJP & ECI are present being unfastened astir stealing the election.“Are the courts BLIND oregon COMPLICIT? This is beyond shameless.”
The announcement was made aft the archetypal furniture gathering of the Suvendu Adhikari-led authorities successful West Bengal.Agarwal’s assignment came conscionable 48 hours aft peculiar predetermination perceiver Subrata Gupta was named advisor to the main minister.Interestingly, Manoj Agarwal had primitively been chosen arsenic West Bengal’s main electoral serviceman by the Election Commission from a sheet sent by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government.
Speculation implicit his caller relation intensified connected Monday aft Agarwal was seen seated beside main curate Adhikari, with Nariala connected his left, during the BJP government’s furniture gathering astatine Nabanna.The Trinamool Congress, which had repeatedly clashed with Agarwal during the assembly polls, including a nationalist spat connected X betwixt him and erstwhile concern curate Chandrima Bhattacharya, reacted sharply to the appointment.TMC MP Sagarika Ghose posted connected X: “The alleged ‘neutral umpire’ is rewarded with the station of apical bureaucrat of the BJP dispensation successful Bengal. Does anyone inactive earnestly judge the 2026 Bengal elections were escaped and fair? Outrageous and brazen.”The BJP defended the decision, saying it had appointed the senior-most IAS serviceman and, dissimilar Mamata Banerjee, had followed work rules.A 1990-batch IAS serviceman of the West Bengal cadre, Manoj Agarwal is owed to discontinue connected July 31.
However, sources indicated that helium could person astatine slightest a six-month extension, taxable to a proposal from the authorities authorities and support by the Centre.West Bengal has precedent for specified extensions. Former main secretaries Samar Ghosh, Hari Krishna Dwivedi, BP Gopalika and Manoj Pant continued successful bureau adjacent aft turning 60. Ghosh, who was appointed during the Left Front era, aboriginal became Mamata Banerjee’s archetypal main caput successful 2011.A mechanical engineering graduate, Agarwal has held respective cardinal administrative positions during his career. He began arsenic ADM of Burdwan and aboriginal served arsenic main caput successful departments including unit and administrative reforms, nutrient and supplies, and occurrence and exigency services.In June 2024, helium was appointed further main caput of the wood section earlier becoming main electoral serviceman 10 months later.Under Agarwal’s tenure arsenic CEO, the assembly elections successful West Bengal were conducted mostly peacefully. Sources said main predetermination commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had commended him for overseeing the polls smoothly.His assignment besides comes up of the May 21 Falta bypoll.
