West Bengal Governor dissolves Assembly ahead of BJP government swearing in

West Bengal Governor R N Ravi has officially dissolved the State Legislative Assembly with effect from May 7, 2026, paving the way for the formation of the first BJP government in the state.

The dissolution was announced through a gazette notification issued under Article 174(2)(b) of the Constitution of India.

“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 7th of May 2026,” the notification stated.

With the move, the 17th West Bengal Legislative Assembly, constituted after the 2021 Assembly elections, formally stands dissolved.

The development comes amid a major political transition in the state after the BJP secured a landslide victory in the recently concluded Assembly elections, ending the Trinamool Congress’ 15-year rule.

The BJP won 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, while the Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80 seats.

The dissolution also gains significance as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier stated that she would not resign from her post despite the electoral defeat.

The swearing-in ceremony of West Bengal’s first BJP government is scheduled to take place at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on May 9.

The BJP legislature party is set to meet in Kolkata on Friday evening to elect its leader in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who has been appointed as the party’s central observer.

Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has emerged as the frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post after leading the party’s successful campaign in the state.

Shah is also expected to review the law and order situation in West Bengal following incidents of post-poll violence reported from several districts.

Tensions escalated further after Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant of Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead in Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday night.

The BJP has accused political rivals of orchestrating violence after the election results, while security agencies continue investigations into multiple incidents reported across the state.