West Bengal Governor RN Ravi has dissolved the state's Legislative Assembly effective May 7, 2026, following outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's refusal to resign after the assembly's term ended at midnight. The governor invoked Article 174(2)(b) of the Constitution, formally terminating the assembly's tenure and, with it, the institutional basis of the Council of Ministers.

Constitutional law expert Swapnil Tripathi of the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy stated that once the assembly is dissolved, the chief minister loses democratic legitimacy and cannot continue in office beyond a caretaker role. The outgoing CM may remain temporarily at the governor's discretion, but this is a matter of convention, not enforceable right.

Banerjee has no viable constitutional path to reclaim or retain the chief ministership, as the dissolution removes the foundation of collective responsibility to the house. Legal challenges to election results must be filed as election petitions under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and adjudicated by the High Court on grounds of specific electoral violations.

The Election Commission is expected to announce the schedule for fresh elections shortly. The governor will invite the leader of the majority party or coalition in the newly elected assembly to form the next government.