Neelam Meena becomes new CEO of West Bengal
The 1998-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre is replacing Manoj Kumar Agarwal, who was earlier appointed as the state's new Chief Secretary.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will on Monday meet Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi, with the state’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at the centre of the talks.
The meeting is scheduled at the headquarters of the Election Commission of India. It follows a sharply worded letter sent by the Chief Minister to the CEC over the weekend, flagging concerns about how the revision exercise is being carried out in West Bengal.
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According to IANS, Banerjee left for the national capital on Sunday afternoon. Her itinerary includes several engagements, most of them linked to the SIR issue.
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She is also expected to reach out to senior leaders of opposition parties during her stay. The aim, party sources say, is to build a common position against the revision process.
The timing of the visit is deliberate. Parliament is in session for the Union Budget, ensuring the presence of top opposition leaders in Delhi.
Why the SIR has triggered a political flashpoint
The Chief Minister’s letter to the CEC signals a confrontational meeting ahead. In it, she questioned the authority granted to special roll observers and micro-observers, saying such appointments have been made only in West Bengal.
Her objection goes beyond oversight. She argued that these observers have been given approval powers, not merely supervisory roles.
In her words, this has left electoral registration officers (EROs) and assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs) “helpless, isolated and reduced to mere spectators”.
Banerjee further wrote that extending such powers to observers runs counter to “democratic ethos, federalism, and fundamental rights” guaranteed under the Constitution.
What happens next in Kolkata
Her return date has not been officially fixed. However, Trinamool Congress leaders indicated she is likely to be back before February 5.
That date matters. A “vote on account” is due to be presented in the West Bengal Assembly. The budget session will also see the government move two key motions.
One will criticise the role of central agencies such as the CBI and ED in the state. The other will formally condemn the manner in which the SIR is being conducted.
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