Manoj Agarwal has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of West Bengal, effective immediately. This decision was announced in an order dated May 11. Agarwal, who is set to retire in July 2023, previously held the position of Chief Election Officer for West Bengal, successfully overseeing the 2026 Assembly elections. A 1990 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Agarwal has a notable career in various administrative roles, including serving as the state's food and supplies secretary. His appointment comes shortly after the reassignment of Dushyant Nariala, the former Chief Secretary, to the role of Principal Resident Commissioner in New Delhi. Notably, Agarwal had previously filed an FIR regarding irregularities in the Public Distribution System (PDS) in 2018, and he faced a case related to disproportionate assets, which was dismissed in 2015. Following his appointment, Agarwal has begun conducting meetings with administrative officials at the state secretariat.