Krishna Gupta Appointed New State Election Commissioner of West Bengal

MP, June 26, 2026, Kolkata: The West Bengal government has appointed IAS officer Krishna Gupta as the new State Election Commissioner (SEC), filling a post that had remained vacant for nearly a year.

Gupta has been serving as Additional Chief Secretary in the Cooperation Department.

The appointment assumes significance as the state has already begun preparations for municipal elections.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has indicated that civic polls will be held later this year, with a new board to be constituted at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) by December.

He has made similar remarks regarding the Howrah Municipal Corporation.

The State Election Commissioner is responsible for conducting municipal and panchayat elections in West Bengal.

The post had remained vacant since the tenure of former commissioner Rajiva Sinha ended around the middle of last year.

During the intervening period, the commission’s secretary, Nilanjan Sandilya, handled its day-to-day functioning.

Sinha, a retired bureaucrat and former Chief Secretary under the previous state government, was appointed State Election Commissioner in 2023.

He oversaw the last panchayat elections, during which his role drew criticism amid widespread reports of poll-related violence.

The appointment also comes against the backdrop of changes at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) following the change in government.

Former mayor Firhad Hakim resigned, after which the civic board was dissolved.

Municipal Commissioner Smita Pandey was subsequently appointed administrator to oversee the corporation’s functioning.

Chief Minister Adhikari has said the new government does not intend to keep civic bodies under administrators for an extended period and wants elections to be held at the earliest.

Ahead of the civic polls, the government is also planning to complete ward delimitation in Kolkata.

During a recent visit to the KMC, the Chief Minister said voter strength varies considerably across wards, making reorganisation necessary.