In Never Before Move, SC Sets 3-Month Time For President To Decide on Bills Referred by Governor

New Delhi: In a never before move, the Supreme Court has directed that the President should decide on the Bills reserved for her consideration by the Governor within a period of three months from the date on which such reference is received.

This has been included in the decision by the apex court four days back through which the top court cleared 10 Bills, which were stalled and reserved by Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi for the President’s consideration. The Supreme Court also set a timeline for all governors to act on the Bills passed by the state Assemblies. The 415 page judgement was uploaded on the Supreme Court website on Friday night.

“We deem it appropriate to adopt the timeline prescribed by the Ministry of Home Affairs… and prescribe that the President is required to take a decision on the bills reserved for his consideration by the Governor within a period of three months from the date on which such reference is received.

“In case of any delay beyond this period, appropriate reasons would have to be recorded and conveyed to the concerned State. The States are also required to be collaborative and extend co-operation by furnishing answers to the queries which may be raised and consider the suggestions made by the Central government expeditiously,” the top court said.

A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan on April 8 set aside the reservation of the 10 Bills for the President’s consideration in the second round holding it as illegal, erroneous in law.

The top court exercised its plenary power under Article 142 of the Constitution to make the Bill re-presented to the Tamil Nadu Governor, as deemed to have been passed.