The architect behind the cancellation of 9 million voters is now the Chief Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party government

Photo: Collected

News Desk: A controversial new chapter has begun in the political and administrative history of West Bengal, India. Manoj Kumar Agarwal, the IAS officer who oversaw one of the largest voter-list revision drives in the past two decades—during which nearly 9 million voters were removed from the electoral rolls—has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of the state by the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.
The appointment was announced on Monday (11 May) through an official order issued from Nabanna, the state secretariat. Political observers see this as part of a broader administrative restructuring following the end of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government's tenure.
A 1990-batch IAS officer, Agarwal assumes the state's top bureaucratic position at a time when Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is reportedly initiating major administrative reforms after the BJP’s first electoral victory in West Bengal.
In recent months, Agarwal served as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state. Under his leadership, a Special Intensive Revision of the voter list was conducted ahead of the 2026 elections, resulting in the removal of approximately 9 million names.
The Trinamool Congress had strongly criticized the voter removal process, calling it politically motivated and accusing Agarwal of being closely aligned with the BJP. Questions about his neutrality were also raised after he was allegedly seen with a BJP worker during an election visit to Nandigram, prompting complaints to the Election Commission of India.
On the other hand, the BJP defended the move as a campaign to eliminate “fake voters”. Agarwal’s promotion from Chief Electoral Officer directly to Chief Secretary has now reignited political debate.
His career, however, has not been defined solely by political controversy. In 2009–10, he faced a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry over allegations of possessing disproportionate assets, although the matter gradually faded over time.
Within bureaucratic circles, Agarwal is also known as an officer unwilling to bow to political pressure. In 2018, while serving as Secretary of the Food and Supplies Department, he reportedly filed an FIR over ration corruption allegations—an action that led to conflict with then-minister Jyotipriya Mallick and his eventual transfer.
Agarwal is scheduled to retire in July, making his appointment to the state’s highest administrative office just weeks before retirement particularly significant.
According to analysts, by elevating an officer who had drawn criticism during the election process, the BJP government has both rewarded his work and sent a strong political message against the previous administration.
Source: The Print