West Bengal Assembly dissolved after Mamata Banerjee refuses to resign following poll defeat

West Bengal Governor RN Ravi has dissolved the state Legislative Assembly after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to resign following her party’s defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections.

The Raj Bhavan issued a notification stating that the Assembly was dissolved with effect from May 7 under Article 174(2)(b) of the Constitution. The move came after the Assembly’s five-year term ended at midnight on Thursday.

The development follows a political standoff that began after the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a majority in the 294-member Assembly, ending the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year rule in the state. According to election results, the BJP won 207 seats, while the Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80.

Despite the outcome, Banerjee had publicly refused to tender her resignation, alleging that the election mandate had been “looted” and accusing the Election Commission and the Centre of interference in the poll process.

Her refusal triggered debate over whether she could continue in a caretaker capacity after the expiry of the Assembly’s term. Under Article 172 of the Constitution, an Assembly automatically ceases after five years unless dissolved earlier. Conventionally, the outgoing council of ministers continues temporarily until a new government is sworn in.

Legal experts and BJP leaders had argued that the situation was constitutionally unusual because the outgoing chief minister had declined to formally resign despite the electoral defeat. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that the Governor could dismiss Banerjee if she continued to refuse resignation.

The Trinamool Congress has indicated that it plans to challenge the election outcome legally, alleging irregularities in the electoral process. Banerjee has also claimed that the BJP’s victory was the result of manipulation and voter roll discrepancies, allegations that election authorities have not publicly accepted.

The dissolution of the Assembly clears the way for the formation of a new government in the state. The BJP is expected to stake claim to form the government before the swearing-in ceremony scheduled later this week.

The post-election period in West Bengal has also witnessed political tensions and sporadic violence in parts of the state, with competing accusations being exchanged between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress.