State appoints administrators of civic bodies

Kolkata: The state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department issued notification appointing administrator in the municipal corporations across the state in adherence to the Election Commission's order restraining political appointees serving as board administrators of Bengal municipal corporations, whose term has ended, from discharging their functions until the model code of conduct is in force.

Khalil Ahmed, the Principal Secretary of the Urban Development & Municipal Affairs department is taking over as the Administrator to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Surendra Gupta, who happens to be the Principal Secretary, GTA and Secretary, North Bengal Development Department is taking over as Administrator to the Siliguri Municipal Corporation.

For the other municipal corporations, the commissioners have been appointed as administrators. Debasis Ghosh is taking over as the Commissioner of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, Abhisekh Tripathi, is taking over as administrator of Howrah Municipal Corporation while Swapan Kumar Kundu is taking over as Administrator of Chandannagore Municipal Corporation and Nitin Singhania as the administrator of Asansol Municipal Corporation. The administrators will continue to be in-charge of these corporations till the new Board of Councillors takes over charge after the election to be held or until further orders.

41 board administrators from Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Asansol Municipal Corporation, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Howrah Municipal Corporation and Chandannagore Municipal Corporation who were named in the ECI order that includes 35 from TMC, five from CPI(M), one from the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) have all resigned.