Subrata Gupta, appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) as a special observer for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, is also appointed as an advisor to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, according to notifications reported by multiple outlets. The ECI appoints observers to oversee and monitor processes related to SIR, and Gupta’s role in that capacity began after his appointment by the ECI in November 2025. After a new BJP government takes charge in West Bengal, the state issues further appointments. The Hindu reports that, alongside Gupta’s appointment as the chief minister’s advisor, the state also appoints IAS officer Shantanu Bala as the chief minister’s private secretary. Business Standard and News18 India similarly report that Gupta’s appointment as advisor follows his ECI observer role for SIR. All accounts describe the development as a state-level appointment while Gupta remains associated with his prior ECI observer assignment for SIR.