On the very day the formal notification for the first phase of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly Elections was issued, the state administration (Nabanna) executed a major reshuffle within the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) department. Four high-ranking officials, including the Deputy CEO, who worked closely under CEO Manoj Nigam, have been transferred.

The first phase of the election, covering 152 constituencies, is scheduled for April 23. This administrative overhaul at the CEO’s headquarters is seen as a significant move to ensure neutrality and efficiency in the poll process. According to official sources, these four officers have been reassigned to non-election related departments. While the ruling party terms it a ‘routine administrative measure,’ the timing—concurrent with the poll notification—has raised eyebrows in the opposition camp, which is keeping a close watch on the new appointments.