A day after announcing the schedule for the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal, the Election Commission of India ordered a series of key police and administrative transfers in the state following a review of poll preparedness.
The poll body directed the immediate reassignment of several senior officers to ensure that the upcoming elections are conducted in a peaceful and violence-free environment.
Under the order, 1992-batch IPS officer Siddh Nath Gupta has been appointed Director General and Inspector General of Police (in-charge) of West Bengal. Meanwhile, 1991-batch IPS officer Natarajan Ramesh Babu has been posted as Director General of Correctional Services.
Ajay Mukund Ranade, a 1995-batch IPS officer, has been appointed Additional Director General and Inspector General (Law and Order), replacing Vinit Goyal. Goyal previously served as Commissioner of Kolkata Police and was removed from the post following widespread protests linked to the RG Kar hospital doctor rape and murder case. The removal had drawn significant public pressure on the government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The Commission also appointed Ajay Kumar Nand, a 1996-batch IPS officer, as the new Commissioner of Kolkata Police.
In its directive, the Election Commission said the transfers were ordered after a detailed review of the state’s readiness for the upcoming polls. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated that the Commission is committed to ensuring that the elections in West Bengal are conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner.
The Commission instructed the state government to implement the orders with immediate effect and submit a compliance report confirming that the officers have assumed their new roles by 3:00 PM on March 16, 2026. It also directed that officers transferred out of their posts should not be assigned any election-related responsibilities until the completion of the polling process.
Additional Administrative Changes
Alongside the police reshuffle, the Election Commission also ordered changes in the state’s administrative leadership.
Dushyant Nariala, a 1993-batch IAS officer, has been appointed Chief Secretary of West Bengal, replacing Nandini Chakravorty, who had assumed the role on December 31, 2025.
In another move, Jagdish Prasad Meena, a 2004-batch IAS officer, has been removed as Principal Secretary for Home and Hill Affairs. He will be replaced by Sanghamitra Ghosh, a 1997-batch IAS officer.
The Commission reiterated that these directives must also be implemented immediately, with a compliance report on the officers’ joining to be submitted by 3:00 PM on March 16.
Poll Schedule
The 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in two phases — on April 23 and April 29 — while the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
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