In a major development in the functioning of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, Senior Deputy Mayor Rakesh Prashar has announced that he is taking charge of the routine responsibilities of the Mayor in her absence, even as MC officials said there was no official information available with them regarding Mayor Inderjit Kaur’s leave.Prashar, in a letter dated August 18 addressed to the MC Commissioner, councillors and heads of all departments, said he was formally assuming the routine administrative and executive responsibilities of the Mayor under Section 40(2) of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1976.The letter, a copy of which is with The Tribune, states that the arrangement has been made due to the “official travel/leave” of the Mayor.However, MC officials said they had not received any official communication confirming the Mayor’s leave or its duration.The development is significant as Prashar has asked officials to route urgent official correspondence, administrative files, financial approvals and departmental queries requiring the attention of the Mayor’s office directly through his secretariat during the period.He has also asked all departments to ensure the continued and seamless execution of ongoing civic projects and public services.Move raises questions over official arrangementThe Senior Deputy Mayor’s letter comes at a time when several important matters are pending before the civic body, including major infrastructure projects, sanitation and waste management works and other public-service issues.While Prashar has cited Section 40(2) of the Municipal Corporation Act in his letter, the MC administration has not issued any separate public communication regarding the Mayor’s leave or the temporary arrangement.The letter therefore puts the spotlight on how the Mayor’s responsibilities will be handled in her absence and whether the arrangement will continue for a few days or a longer period.Prashar has not mentioned a specific end date for the arrangement in his letter.Urgent files to be routed through Senior Deputy MayorPrashar has specifically instructed officials that urgent correspondence, administrative files and financial approvals requiring the Mayor’s office should be routed through his secretariat.He has also asked department heads to ensure that ongoing civic projects and public services continue without disruption.MC Commissioner Ojasvi Alankar said, “There is no official information of any leave but I have received letter of senior deputy Mayor of assuming charge and will forward of head office the same”.