Govt dissolves Asansol Municipal Board, appoints IPS Aditi Chowdhury as the new administrator

The West Bengal Municipal and Urban Development Department has dissolved the Asansol Municipal Board following a prolonged period of stagnant civic services and operational gridlock. To manage the municipal corporation’s daily operations and restore public utility services, the state government has appointed IPS officer Aditi Chowdhury as the new administrator. Chowdhury currently serves as the CEO of the Asansol Durgapur Development Authority (ADDA) and is a former Asansol Municipal Commissioner.

The state’s intervention follows a detailed complaint filed by the Principal Secretary of the Municipal Department against the Asansol Municipal Corporation. The official complaint highlighted a series of administrative lapses and financial irregularities, including the failure to conduct mandatory board meetings and unauthorized property tax waivers. The escalating friction between the civic leadership and state authorities had virtually paralyzed key municipal services across the industrial town.

In response to the state’s allegations, the then-Mayor Bidhan Upadhyay had submitted a six-page rebuttal letter denying all claims of governance malpractice. Upadhyay instead shifted the blame onto the Municipal Commissioner, citing a persistent lack of cooperation that hindered structural decision-making. Unsatisfied with the Mayor's explanation, the Municipal Department finalized the dissolution of the elected board to assume administrative control.