New Delhi: A major constitutional development unfolded in West Bengal after Governor R. N. Ravi officially dissolved the state Legislative Assembly under Article 174(2)(b) of the Constitution, bringing the tenure of the Mamata Banerjee led government to an end.
The notification stated that the West Bengal Assembly stood dissolved with effect from May 7, 2026, formally ending the five year term of the House constituted in 2021. With the dissolution, Mamata Banerjee and her Council of Ministers ceased to hold executive office.
The development came amid a political standoff after Banerjee reportedly refused to resign following her party’s defeat in the recently concluded Assembly elections. She had questioned the election outcome and alleged irregularities in the process.
Under constitutional provisions, once an Assembly is dissolved, the legislature ceases to exist and the elected government automatically loses its mandate. Governance during this interim phase is carried out through the state bureaucracy under the supervision of the Governor until a new government is sworn in.
Senior administrative officials, including the Chief Secretary and other bureaucrats, continue to manage day to day governance and ensure continuity of administration. However, major policy decisions are generally avoided during this caretaker phase.
Preparations are now underway for the formation of a new government in the state following the election results. The BJP, which secured a decisive majority in the Assembly elections, is expected to form the next government in West Bengal.
The dissolution of the Assembly marks the end of the Trinamool Congress government’s extended tenure in the state and signals a major political transition in Bengal after more than a decade of Mamata Banerjee’s leadership.
