Kolkata: In a major administrative reshuffle, the West Bengal government has transferred 64 IAS officers, including 10 District Magistrates, along with 457 officers of the West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) cadre, just days before the Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to announce the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls from November 1.
Officials said the move was made preemptively, as administrative reshuffles are not permitted once the SIR process begins.
Strategic Reshuffle Before Election Commission’s Announcement
The reshuffle was issued from the state secretariat at Nabanna just hours before the ECI press conference in Delhi, where the Commission is expected to announce SIR schedules for several states, including West Bengal, which goes to polls in 2026.
Senior officials clarified that while such transfers are routine, the timing was deliberate.
“It was expected that after the SIR announcement, the ECI would move district magistrates who have held the post for more than three years. So, before the ECI could do that, the state transferred them to avoid controversy,” a senior administrative official said.
Key District Magistrate Transfers
Among the major changes –
- Sharad Kumar Dwivedi, DM North 24 Parganas, has been appointed Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department.
- Sumit Gupta, DM South 24 Parganas, has been made Municipal Commissioner, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).
- Shashank Sethi, MD, WBHIDCO, will take charge as DM, North 24 Parganas.
- Arvind Kumar Mina, DM Cooch Behar, has been transferred to South 24 Parganas.
- Rajarshi Mitra, DM Murshidabad, has been appointed MD, WBHIDCO.
- Rajat Nanda, DM Purulia, becomes Director of Tourism.
- Preeti Goyal, DM Darjeeling, moves to DM Malda.
- Nitin Singhania will take charge as DM Murshidabad.
- Bidhan Roy, DM Birbhum, joins the Food and Supplies Department as Special Secretary.
The reshuffle also covered administrative heads in Jhargram, East Midnapore, and other key districts, ensuring a near-total administrative overhaul ahead of the SIR exercise.
IAS Officer’s Transfers Complete lists are given below –
Widespread Officer Movements Across Ranks
In total, 457 WBCS officers across various ranks – including Officers on Special Duty (OSD), Directors, Special Secretaries, Additional District Magistrates (ADMs), and Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) – have been reassigned.
The list includes:
- Dhaval Jain, Commissioner, KMC
- U.R. Ismail, Special Secretary, Health Department
- Raju Mishra, Special Secretary, Industry and Commerce Department
Even though the lists were released on Monday, transfer notifications were officially dated October 24, a senior official confirmed.
The Full Transfer lists of WBCS officers are given below –
Appointment of 164 WBCS (Exe) Officers
Appointment of 151 WBCS (Exe) Officers
Transfer and posting of 91 (Ninety one) WBCS(Exe) Officers
Transfer and posting of 21 (Twenty one) WBCS(Exe) Officers-ADM List
Transfer and posting of 30 (Thirty) WBCS(Exe) Officers – SDO
SIR Exercise Expected to Begin November 1
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, conducted by the Election Commission of India, is aimed at updating the electoral rolls ahead of the 2026 Bengal Assembly Elections.
Each District Election Officer (DEO) and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) has been directed to set up help desks in their respective offices for SIR-related tasks. A multi-party meeting will be convened the day after the official announcement to brief political representatives on the revision process.
Political Reactions: TMC Plans Massive Rally, BJP Welcomes Move
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced a massive anti-SIR rally in Kolkata on November 2, to be led by Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s National General Secretary. Party insiders said the event will mark the beginning of a statewide campaign against the SIR process.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has termed the SIR “another form of NRC,” alleging it is an attempt to delete voters from Bengal’s electoral rolls. TMC sources said the party aims to amplify this message across districts in the coming weeks.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, welcomed the ECI’s move.
“Over one crore illegal voters will be weeded out through this process,” a senior BJP leader said, calling the revision “necessary for fair elections.”
A Preemptive Move Before Election Heat
Administrative insiders suggest that the state government’s large-scale reshuffle was strategically timed to avoid ECI intervention and to ensure a smooth administrative transition before electoral processes begin.
As Bengal prepares for the 2026 Assembly polls, both bureaucratic and political activity is expected to intensify – setting the stage for a high-stakes political year in the state.
