ias-officer-manoj-kumar-agarwal-appointed-as-wb-s-new-ceo

The Election Commission has appointed senior IAS officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal as the new Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal. A 1990 batch officer of the West Bengal cadre, Agarwal will be responsible for overseeing the state assembly elections in 2026.

 

As per regulations, the state government submits a panel of one or more candidates for the CEO position, from which the Election Commission selects the final appointee.

 

Agarwal succeeds Ariz Aftab, who had served as CEO since February 2017. During his tenure, Aftab successfully conducted the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, as well as the 2021 state assembly polls.

 

Following his retirement, Dibyendu Das managed the responsibilities as acting CEO until Agarwal’s appointment.

 

The Central Election Commission officially announced Agarwal’s appointment on Friday. Before assuming this role, he served as the Additional Chief Secretary of the State Fire and Emergency Services Department.

 

He has also held key positions in the Forest Department, Disaster Management Department, and North Bengal Development Department.

 

With his appointment, Agarwal will now take full charge to ensure a smooth and transparent electoral process in West Bengal.

 

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