Supreme Court Slams Tamil Nadu Governor for Withholding Assent to Bills

In a strong and decisive move, the Supreme Court of India has pulled up Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi for his prolonged inaction on several bills passed by the state assembly. The apex court ruled that the governor’s delay in granting assent to these bills was not only unjustified but also unconstitutional and illegal.

The two-judge bench, comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, expressed serious concerns over the governor’s decision to reserve ten bills for the President’s consideration, especially after these bills had already been re-passed by the assembly. The court stated that such delays cannot be defended as they go against the constitutional scheme, which expects governors to act promptly and in good faith.

Under Article 200 of the Constitution, a governor has three options when presented with a bill: grant assent, withhold assent, or reserve it for the President. However, the court made it clear that these powers are not meant to be used arbitrarily or to suit political convenience. The concept of a “pocket veto,” where a governor simply sits on a bill indefinitely, has no place in a parliamentary democracy.

The Supreme Court went a step further and declared that all ten bills re-passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly are to be considered valid and in effect from the date they were re-submitted to the governor. This effectively bypasses the governor’s inaction and reinforces the authority of the elected legislature.

This ruling comes after months of tension between the Tamil Nadu government and Governor Ravi, with the state accusing him of deliberately stalling legislative work and disrupting governance. The court’s intervention is being viewed as a reaffirmation of constitutional values and a warning to constitutional authorities not to overstep or misuse their roles.

The judgment sends a strong message: governors must uphold their constitutional duties without allowing political considerations to interfere. In a democracy, elected representatives have the primary role in law-making, and any delay or obstruction undermines the will of the people.

This landmark decision reinforces the balance of power between the legislature and the governor’s office and highlights the judiciary’s critical role in maintaining constitutional order.

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