The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday reserved its verdict on whether Governors and the President should follow fixed timelines to approve bills passed by State Legislatures. The matter came up after a presidential reference seeking clarity on the issue.
A Constitution bench led by Chief Justice B R Gavai, along with Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, P S Narasimha, and A S Chandurkar, heard arguments for 10 days. The hearings began on August 19. Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta represented the Centre.
Senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and K K Venugopal argued for Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They opposed fixed timelines, saying earlier Supreme Court judgments, including the April verdict, had already dealt with the question. Opposition-ruled states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Karnataka, Telangana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh also opposed the reference.
The bench asked why the issue was being contested when the President herself had sought clarity. “When the President seeks advice, what is the problem in addressing it?” the judges remarked. The bench also noted that it was working in an advisory capacity. The verdict will now be delivered soon.
