Ahead of polls, ECI orders reshuffle of Bengal top cops
What's the story
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered a major reshuffle of police officers in West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The decision comes after the ECI reviewed poll preparedness for the state elections. Ajay Kumar Nand, a 1996-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, has been appointed as the new Commissioner of Kolkata Police.
New appointments
Other senior officers given new postings
The ECI's order also includes several other senior officers who have been given new postings. Siddh Nath Gupta (IPS 1992) has been appointed as the Director General and Inspector General of Police (In-charge), West Bengal. Natarajan Ramesh Babu (IPS 1991) will now serve as the Director General of Correctional Services, while Ajay Mukund Ranade (IPS 1995) has been made Additional Director General and Inspector General of Police for Law and Order.
Implementation details
ECI's directives for smooth conduct of elections
The ECI has directed that these orders be implemented immediately, with a compliance report on the officers joining their new posts to be submitted by 3:00pm on March 16. Officers who have been transferred out will not be given any election-related posts until after the elections are completed. The ECI's decision comes after it announced the schedule for West Bengal's two-phase Assembly elections, with polling dates set for April 23 and April 29.
Administrative reshuffle
Transfers of senior state officials ordered by ECI
Apart from the police reshuffle, the ECI has also ordered transfers of senior state officials. Dushyant Nariala, a 1993-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, will replace Nandini Chakravorty as Chief Secretary of West Bengal. Jagdish Prasad Meena has been removed as Principal Secretary for Home and Hill Affairs and replaced by Sanghamitra Ghosh. These administrative changes are part of the ECI's efforts to ensure the smooth conduct of elections in West Bengal.
Twitter Post
ECI's order on transfer of officers
Siddh Nath Gupta (IPS -1992) posted as DG & IGP, Govt. of West Bengal (In-charge)
— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026
Ajay Kumar Nand (IPS -1996) posted as Commissioner, Kolkata Police
Natarajan Ramesh Babu (IPS -1991) posted as DG, Correctional Services
Ajay Mukund Ranade (IPS -1995) be posted as ADG & IGP (Law &… pic.twitter.com/niOjNsHmtU