Smita Pandey Appointed Kolkata Civic Body Administrator After Mayor Firhad Hakim Steps Down

Days after Firhad Hakim resigned as Kolkata Mayor, the state government on Monday dissolved the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and appointed IAS officer Smita Pandey as its administrator.

According to an order, the municipal affairs department stated that with the dissolution of the KMC, all councillors, members of the mayor-in-council, committee members and the chairperson would vacate their offices in accordance with the provisions of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980.

This came after the mandatory 72-hour period following Hakim’s resignation expired without the election of a successor by the TMC.

A close aide of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Hakim had previously sought permission from the TMC chief to resign from the post,

citing difficulties in functioning after the BJP came to power in West Bengal.

According to the order, Smita Pandey has been appointed administrator of the civic body until fresh elections, which are due later this year.

Who Is Smita Pandey?

The 2005-batch IAS officer has served as project director — of joint municipal commissioner rank — of the Kolkata Environment Improvement Investment Programme (KEIIP), an Asian Development Bank-funded initiative to upgrade the city’s drainage and water supply infrastructure, between January 2013 and February 2014, according to The Telegreaph.

In November 2025, she was appointed special roll observer for Birbhum, Purba Bardhaman and Paschim Bardhaman by the EC during the SIR.

Pandey had also served as district magistrate of East Midnapore and North Dinajpur, and earlier as special secretary of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority.

Born in Lucknow, Smita Pandey completed her master’s degree in plant science and an MBA from Lucknow University. She later earned an LLM degree from Calcutta University.