The Election Commission (EC) on Monday appointed Neelam Meena, a 1998-batch IAS officer, as Bengal's new chief electoral officer (CEO).
Her predecessor, Manoj Agarwal, was appointed the chief secretary soon after the BJP-led state government took over following the change of guard in the recently held Assembly polls.
Meena, who has worked as the secretary of departments like consumer affairs, environment and youth services, takes charge with immediate effect.
She also served central deputation for a period of five years in the Tea Board and the ministry of rural development. In all likelihood, she would be in charge of holding the next Lok Sabha polls in Bengal in 2029.
Sources said that after Agarwal, who was appointed as the CEO in March 2025, was appointed the chief secretary by the Suvendu Adhikari government, the EC had asked the state government for three names for the CEO's position.
Meena apart, the state had recommended the names of Tanmay Chakrabarty, a 2006-batch IAS officer, and Moumita Godara Basu, a 2007-batch IAS officer. The EC selected Meena for the position.
With the change of guard, multiple bureaucrats said that Meena could be the first CEO who would be able to head an independent election department in the state.
“Till now, the CEO used to function under the home department of the state government. The EC had repeatedly written to the previous government to create a separate election department and make the CEO the head of the department, giving the post an independent identity. This autonomy exists in the majority of the states. But the previous Trinamool Congress-led state government refused to accept the directive," said a source.
The new BJP-led state government was amenable to the EC's directive of creating a new election department and making Meena its head.