West Bengal has appointed its first-ever woman Chief Secretary, Nandini Chakraborty, who was previously the additional chief secretary to the state home and hill affairs department. Chakraborty takes over from Manoj Pant, who retired on Wednesday after being on an extension for six months. Despite the state government’s appeal for a further extension for Pant, it was not approved by the Department of Personnel and Training.
Jagdish Prasad Meena has been named as the new additional chief secretary to the state home and hill affairs department, succeeding Chakraborty. Even after retiring, Pant has been given a new role as the principal secretary to the Chief Minister, a position typically reserved for a regular recruit and serving Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticized the West Bengal government for allegedly diluting DoPT rules in appointing senior bureaucrats and police officers.
Nandini Chakraborty, a 1994-batch IAS officer, has held significant administrative positions in the state and has been involved in controversies. Previously serving as the Principal Secretary to Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, a dispute arose between the Raj Bhavan and the state secretariat over her removal. Despite Raj Bhavan’s request to release Chakraborty, the state secretariat insisted on her continuation. Following discussions between the Chief Minister and the Governor, she was eventually removed from the post and reassigned to the state tourism department.
