24 May 2026
Neta·ResumeThePrint reports the ECI picked him as CEO after rejecting the state government's first shortlist, seeking officers due to retire soon after the 2026 polls; he was due to retire in July 2026.
Two days after the BJP government took office, the Governor appointed CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal as Chief Secretary of West Bengal until further orders. He moved directly from overseeing the SIR and the 2026 election to the state's top civil service post.
Notification text is quoted by The Wire and NewsGram; the order was signed by ACS Rajesh Pandey (ThePrint).