Mamata Banerjee no longer CM as West Bengal Governor dissolves Assembly
The move formally ended Banerjee's tenure after days of political confrontation in which the Trinamool Congress chief refused to resign
- May 7, 2026,
- Updated May 7, 2026 7:57 PM IST
Mamata Banerjee is no longer the Chief Minister of West Bengal as Governor RN Ravi dissolved the state Assembly on Thursday evening. The move formally ended Banerjee's 15-year tenure after days of political confrontation in which the Trinamool Congress chief refused to resign, alleging that the Assembly election was "not a people’s mandate but a conspiracy".
"In exercise of the powers conferred upon the Governor under sub-clause (b) of Clause (2) of Article 174 of the Constitution of India, Hon'ble Governor of West Bengal, Shri R. N. Ravi, has issued an Order dissolving the West Bengal Legislative Assembly with effect from 07 May 2026," a statement from the Governor's office said.
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Mamata refused to resign after defeat
A day after the election results, Banerjee categorically ruled out stepping down as chief minister. "The question of my resignation does not arise, as we were defeated not by a public mandate but by a conspiracy… I did not lose, I will not go to Lok Bhavan," Banerjee said at a press conference on Tuesday. "Why should I resign? We have not lost. Votes have been looted. Where does the question of resignation arise?" she asked.
'Governor can dismiss her'
After Banerjee refused to resign, Supreme Court advocate Mahesh Jethmalani said the chief minister holds office at the pleasure of the Governor and cannot continue after losing the confidence of the electorate. "This is a mandate which is so unanimous and a huge mandate that it is impossible for anybody to question it," he said.
Referring to constitutional provisions, Jethmalani said the term of the legislature ends with the expiry of five years, and with it the tenure of the chief minister. "There is no legitimate legislature. Forget the chief minister...she's only an acting chief minister. She's no longer the elected chief minister. She has to go anyway. She can't cling to that seat."
PDT Achary, a constitutional law expert, said that currently, there was nothing in the law that allowed her to stay in the chair. "Even if she doesn't resign, it doesn't matter. The governor would have asked her to continue till the next Chief Minister took the oath. But a constitutional provision says a government cannot continue after five years," he told India Today.
Achary said technically, she did not need to resign at all. "She can only stay the CM till May 6 by operation of the Constitution of India. On that date, she ceases to be CM," he explained.
Mamata Banerjee is no longer the Chief Minister of West Bengal as Governor RN Ravi dissolved the state Assembly on Thursday evening. The move formally ended Banerjee's 15-year tenure after days of political confrontation in which the Trinamool Congress chief refused to resign, alleging that the Assembly election was "not a people’s mandate but a conspiracy".
"In exercise of the powers conferred upon the Governor under sub-clause (b) of Clause (2) of Article 174 of the Constitution of India, Hon'ble Governor of West Bengal, Shri R. N. Ravi, has issued an Order dissolving the West Bengal Legislative Assembly with effect from 07 May 2026," a statement from the Governor's office said.
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Mamata refused to resign after defeat
A day after the election results, Banerjee categorically ruled out stepping down as chief minister. "The question of my resignation does not arise, as we were defeated not by a public mandate but by a conspiracy… I did not lose, I will not go to Lok Bhavan," Banerjee said at a press conference on Tuesday. "Why should I resign? We have not lost. Votes have been looted. Where does the question of resignation arise?" she asked.
'Governor can dismiss her'
After Banerjee refused to resign, Supreme Court advocate Mahesh Jethmalani said the chief minister holds office at the pleasure of the Governor and cannot continue after losing the confidence of the electorate. "This is a mandate which is so unanimous and a huge mandate that it is impossible for anybody to question it," he said.
Referring to constitutional provisions, Jethmalani said the term of the legislature ends with the expiry of five years, and with it the tenure of the chief minister. "There is no legitimate legislature. Forget the chief minister...she's only an acting chief minister. She's no longer the elected chief minister. She has to go anyway. She can't cling to that seat."
PDT Achary, a constitutional law expert, said that currently, there was nothing in the law that allowed her to stay in the chair. "Even if she doesn't resign, it doesn't matter. The governor would have asked her to continue till the next Chief Minister took the oath. But a constitutional provision says a government cannot continue after five years," he told India Today.
Achary said technically, she did not need to resign at all. "She can only stay the CM till May 6 by operation of the Constitution of India. On that date, she ceases to be CM," he explained.