Assembly’s term expiring today, can’t comment on Mamata’s refusal to step down: Bengal CEO

Kolkata: The constitutional process of government formation in West Bengal is underway following the Assembly election results, even as outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to step down and questioned the people mandate.

State Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Wednesday made it clear that the role of the election machinery is limited to conducting polls and notifying the results, stressing that the constitutional framework governs the rest of the process.

“Look, this is what the Constitution says; we don’t need to say anything. No comments from my side. The Election Commission has no role in this,” Agarwal said while responding to queries on Banerjee’s refusal to resign as CM after her party’s defeat.

Elaborating on the procedure, he said that once the Election Commission of India issues the statutory notification of elected candidates, it is forwarded to the Governor, who then initiates the process of constitution the new Assembly.

“We have to provide that statutory notification to the Governor, showing who won in which seat. After that, the new Assembly is constituted. The term of the old Assembly is ending today, so the new Assembly will be formed. Once constituted, there will be oath-taking of MLAs, and thereafter, the Governor’s office will issue the necessary notification, and then the new Assembly will be formed,” he added.

The clarification comes amid a charged political atmosphere after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered a major electoral setback, ending its 15-year rule in the state.

Despite the outcome, Banerjee maintained that she would not voluntarily tender her resignation, alleging that the results did not reflect the true will of the people.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party is set to form the next government in West Bengal with a decisive mandate. In the 294-member Assembly, the majority mark stands at 196, and of the 293 seats declared so far, the BJP has secured 206 seats, comfortably surpassing the threshold.

The Trinamool Congress managed to win 81 seats. Banerjee herself lost from the Bhabanipur constituency to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari by a margin exceeding 15,000 votes.

Repolling is scheduled in the Falta seat of South 24 Parganas district on May 21, with counting slated for May 24, as per the Election Commission.

The results also highlighted a significant shift in the state’s political landscape, with the TMC failing to secure a single seat in ten districts, including Cooch Behar, East Midnapore, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, and losing ground in key tribal and Matua-dominated constituencies.

As the constitutional process moves forward, the attention now shifts to the Governor’s office for the formal invitation to form the government and the subsequent swearing-in of the new Council of Ministers.

–IANS