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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s refusal to resign after her party’s electoral defeat has culminated in the dissolution of the state Legislative Assembly by Governor RN Ravi, NDTV reports.
The Assembly’s five-year term was due to expire at midnight on Thursday.
In the evening, Raj Bhavan released a letter issued earlier, formally confirming the dissolution of the House, the Indian news outlet said.
The single-line notification was quoted as saying, “In exercise of the power conferred on me by sub-clause (b) of Clause (2) of Article 174 of the Constitution of India, I hereby dissolve the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal with effect from 07th of May 2026”.
Under Article 172 of the Constitution, an Assembly automatically dissolves after completing its term, while the outgoing Council of Ministers continues in a caretaker role until a new government is sworn in, according to NDTV.
However, the political situation in West Bengal had turned contentious after the election results, with Mamata declaring she would not step down despite her party’s defeat.
Her refusal triggered intense political debate over whether she could continue in office in a caretaker capacity, with several BJP leaders demanding her immediate dismissal.
NDTV reported that her stance, described as unprecedented in India’s electoral history, created widespread confusion over the constitutional validity of her continuation in office.
While legally a chief minister may continue in a caretaker capacity until formal certification of election results, implementation depends on the governor’s discretion.
Once the Election Commission certifies the results, continuation in office is limited strictly to caretaker functions, the report added.
The BJP, which secured a decisive mandate in the state election, is expected to have its new cabinet sworn in on Saturday, which would ordinarily leave a brief caretaker period in place, NDTV said.
On Tuesday evening, Mamata had told reporters: “I have not lost, so I will not go to Raj Bhavan. I will not tender resignation.”
Her remarks deepened the political divide, with opposition parties rallying around her while BJP leaders intensified calls for her removal.
Earlier, the Trinamool Congress announced it would approach the court to challenge the election results that ended its 15-year rule in the state.