The Congress party on Sunday sharply criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the Election Commission of India (Election Commission of India), alleging serious concerns over recent high-profile administrative appointments in West Bengal. The party described the developments as damaging to the credibility of electoral and governance institutions in the country.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh led the charge, questioning the timing and nature of the appointments made after the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. He argued that the post-election elevation of key officials raised doubts about the neutrality of the electoral process and the institutions involved in its conduct.

At the centre of the controversy is the appointment of Manoj Agarwal, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1990 batch, as the Chief Secretary to the Government of West Bengal. According to the report, Agarwal had earlier served as Chief Election Officer, where he was responsible for overseeing the conduct of the Assembly elections in the state.

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Another appointment that has drawn criticism is that of Subrata Gupta, also a 1990-batch IAS officer, who has been named Chief Adviser to the Chief Minister of West Bengal, as stated in the report. Gupta previously served as Special Roll Observer during the election period, a role involving oversight of electoral rolls and voter list revisions.

The Congress party alleged that these appointments indicate possible collusion between the BJP and the Election Commission of India (Election Commission of India). The party further claimed that the electoral process was compromised, alleging that around 27 lakh people were allegedly removed from the voter list during the elections, which it described as a deliberate attempt to influence outcomes in favour of the BJP.

Opposition leaders argued that the sequence of appointments reflects a troubling pattern in which officials involved in election management are later rewarded with senior administrative positions. The Congress maintained that such developments undermine public trust in the impartiality of constitutional bodies and raised broader concerns about democratic integrity in West Bengal’s political landscape.

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