West Bengal entered a dramatic political phase on Thursday after Governor R. N. Ravi officially dissolved the State Legislative Assembly, bringing the tenure of the All India Trinamool Congress government to an end. The move effectively removed Mamata Banerjee from the Chief Minister’s post after the expiry of the government’s term.
Invoking powers under Article 174(2)(b) of the Constitution of India, the Governor issued an official notification stating that the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal stood dissolved with immediate effect from May 7, 2026.
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The development came amid intense political tension following the recently concluded Assembly elections, where the Bharatiya Janata Party emerged with a decisive victory in the State. Banerjee, however, had refused to step down earlier, alleging large-scale vote looting, EVM tampering, and collusion between the Election Commission and the BJP. She maintained that the mandate against her party was “immoral” and unconstitutional.
Political unrest has continued across several districts since the declaration of results. Reports of post-poll violence surfaced from multiple regions, with clashes between rival party workers leading to casualties and heightened security deployment. Central forces remained stationed in sensitive pockets to maintain law and order.
Former Government of India Secretary Jawhar Sircar stated that with the Assembly dissolved and the previous government’s tenure over, the Governor would oversee interim constitutional responsibilities until a new Chief Minister takes oath.
Meanwhile, the BJP is expected to hold a crucial meeting of its newly elected MLAs to select its legislative party leader, who is likely to become the next Chief Minister of West Bengal.
