Kolkata
Governor R N Ravi Formally Dissolves Bengal Legislature
R. N. Ravi has formally dissolved the West Bengal Legislative Assembly after the completion of its tenure, bringing the Mamata Banerjee-led government’s term to an end.
R. N. Ravi has dissolved the West Bengal Legislative Assembly with effect from May 7 following the completion of its constitutional term, according to an official notification issued by the Department of Parliamentary Affairs.
The outgoing assembly was constituted in May 2021 after the All India Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, returned to power for a third consecutive term in the state.
The dissolution comes after the recently concluded two-phase assembly elections, in which the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a sweeping victory by winning 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, crossing the two-thirds majority mark and ending the TMC’s uninterrupted 15-year rule in West Bengal.
The TMC was reduced to 80 seats in the new assembly.
With the dissolution of the legislature, the existing state cabinet also ceased to exist, formally concluding Mamata Banerjee’s tenure as chief minister.
However, Banerjee has reportedly declined to resign following the electoral defeat, alleging that the election process involved “manipulation” and unfair practices. She has maintained that the defeat of her party was not the result of a fair electoral process.
The dissolution of the assembly has been carried out under the provisions of Article 174 of the Constitution of India, which empowers the Governor to summon, prorogue and dissolve state legislatures under specified constitutional procedures.
Political observers view the development as marking a major shift in West Bengal’s political landscape, with the BJP set to form the government in the state for the first time.
