City municipal commissioner Smita Pandey was appointed administrator of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation on Monday.

Pandey, a 2005-batch IAS officer, will now head the civic body in the absence of a mayor and elected councillors.

The BJP government dissolved the mayor-in-council and the entire corporation on Monday. Sources in the government said even elected councillors will cease to have any functions henceforth.

Like many bureaucrats assigned responsibilities by the Election Commission ahead of the Assembly polls, Pandey retains her position under the new BJP government. She became commissioner in March.

“The administrator will enjoy the powers that the mayor and the mayor-in-council enjoyed. The commissioner’s financial and decision-making powers will increase with the elevation,” said a government official.

An order issued by the municipal affairs department said the administrator will exercise “all the powers and duties which, under the provisions of the said Act or any rule or regulation made thereunder or of any law in force for the time being, may be exercised or performed by the members of the Corporation or the Mayor-in-Council or any Committee of the Corporation or the Mayor or the Chairman, shall be exercised or performed, subject to such directions as the State Government may give from time to time”.

The administrator will remain in charge for a “period not exceeding six months or until the newly elected Councillors take over charge, whichever is earlier”.

Metro had reported on Sunday that the government was likely to appoint an administrator in the KMC early this week.

After Firhad Hakim resigned as Calcutta mayor on Friday, the state government issued a notice to the commissioner and secretary of KMC asking them why the corporation should not be dissolved. The letter said the KMC had “become practically incompetent and has failed to discharge its statutory obligations to render municipal services, which is detrimental to public interest”.

It also asked why the corporation should not be dissolved on this ground.

The KMC had three days to respond, and it submitted its reply by Monday evening, just before the deadline.

An official said the government felt it prudent to dissolve the KMC based on the response from the civic body.

Concerns were also raised over who would sign certificates earlier issued by elected councillors. Residents regularly approach councillors for residence certificates and income certificates, among others.

State government officials said they will work out a plan to delegate powers to issue certificates.

Sources said that it is not feasible for a single administrator to sign certificates that 144 councillors previously handled.