Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar dissolved the 16th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly with effect from 5 May 2026, after the results of the 2026 Assembly election were declared. Dissolving the outgoing House is a mandatory step before a new Assembly can be constituted. Under Article 174(2)(b) of the Constitution, the Governor has the power to dissolve the State Legislative Assembly. Article 172(1) provides that an Assembly stands dissolved automatically on completing its five-year term unless dissolved earlier. In the S.R. Bommai case, the Supreme Court held that a government's majority should be tested on the floor of the House.