Retired IAS officer Subrata Gupta, appointed as CM Suvendu Adhikari’s adviser

Rashmi Pandey — Sat, 09 May 2026 14:56:41 +0000

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has appointed retired IAS officer Subrata Gupta as an adviser in the Chief Minister’s Office, government officials confirmed on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Gupta, who served as the Election Commission’s Special Roll Observer for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal ahead of the recent assembly elections, will now assist the new administration on policy coordination and governance‑related matters.

Gupta belongs to the 1990 batch of the West Bengal cadre of the Indian Administrative Service and has over three decades of experience in state administration. He was appointed Special Roll Observer by the Election Commission in November 2025 to oversee the SIR exercise, which aimed at ensuring that no eligible voter was excluded from the electoral rolls and no ineligible person was included. His role brought him into close contact with the state election machinery and the political landscape in advance of the assembly polls.

The official notification naming Gupta as adviser comes as part of a broader restructuring of the Chief Minister’s Office after the BJP’s victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Alongside his appointment, the government also assigned Shantanu Bala as the Chief Minister’s private secretary, with both expected to take charge of their new roles immediately. Officials said Gupta’s administrative background and familiarity with Bengal’s electoral and administrative systems will help the new government in shaping policy and coordinating with line departments.

Election Commission SIR observer | Business Upturn

Retired IAS officer Subrata Gupta, appointed as CM Suvendu Adhikari’s adviser