Mamata Banerjee, the outgoing Chief Minister of West Bengal, remains defiant following the official dissolution of the state's legislative assembly by Governor RN Ravi, effective May 7, 2026. The assembly's term was set to expire at midnight, and the Governor's letter confirmed the dissolution under Article 174(2)(b) of the Constitution of India. Legal expert Swapnil Tripathi noted that once the assembly is dissolved, Banerjee's ability to continue as Chief Minister is severely limited, as she can only act in a caretaker capacity until a new government is established. Banerjee's refusal to resign does not change the constitutional implications, as she lacks the institutional support of an assembly. Should there be grievances regarding the electoral process, the Representation of the People Act, 1951 allows for election petitions to be filed in the High Court, where the petitioner must prove violations related to specific constituency elections.