KOLKATA — In a major administrative shake-up ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has overhauled West Bengal’s police leadership. The move, aimed at ensuring violence-free polls, saw the removal of the state’s top brass within 24 hours of the election schedule announcement.
New Leadership Appointments
The ECI has appointed seasoned officers to oversee the state’s security apparatus during the two-phase elections on April 23 and 29:
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Siddh Nath Gupta (DGP & IGP): The 1992-batch IPS officer, previously DG of Correctional Services, takes charge as the Director General of Police (In-Charge), replacing Peeyush Pandey.
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Ajay Kumar Nand (Kolkata Police Commissioner): A 1996-batch officer known for his anti-Maoist operations in Jangalmahal, Nand replaces Supratim Sarkar as the city’s top cop.
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Ajay Mukund Ranade (ADG, Law & Order): The 1995-batch officer moves from his role in Telecommunications to become the ADG and IGP (Law & Order), a pivotal post for poll security, replacing Vineet Kumar Goyel.
