HOWRAH – In a significant move to restructure the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) following the recent change of guard in West Bengal, the state government has announced the appointment of two key officials to support Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
According to official notifications issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms on Saturday, May 9, 2026, retired IAS officer Dr. Subrata Gupta has been appointed as Advisor to the Chief Minister, while 2017-batch IAS officer Shri Shantanu Bala will take over as his Private Secretary.
A Veteran Returns: Dr. Subrata Gupta
Dr. Subrata Gupta, a highly respected 1990-batch retired IAS officer, brings decades of administrative expertise to the table. His appointment is seen as a strategic move to streamline policy coordination and governance.
Dr. Gupta recently served as the Special Roll Observer for the Election Commission of India during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The official order stated:
“The Governor is pleased to appoint Dr. Subrata Gupta, IAS (Retd.), as Advisor to the Hon’ble Chief Minister… with immediate effect and until further order.”
Youthful Dynamism: Shantanu Bala
Joining the CMO alongside Dr. Gupta is Shantanu Bala, who was previously serving as the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of South 24 Parganas. As Private Secretary, Bala will play a crucial role in managing the Chief Minister’s daily operations and inter-departmental communications.
The notification for his appointment, signed by Additional Chief Secretary Rajesh Pandey, emphasized that the change was made “in the interest of public service.”
Administrative Reshuffling at Nabanna
These appointments mark the beginning of a broader administrative overhaul at Nabanna as the new administration seeks to implement its priority initiatives. Both officers have been directed to assume their new responsibilities immediately.
The orders have been carbon-copied to all major departments, including the Accountant General of West Bengal and the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) in New Delhi, ensuring a swift transition in the state’s top executive office.
