Supreme Court sets deadline for Presidential decision on reserved state bills

President must act within three months on bills sent by governors: SC

For the first time, the Supreme Court of India has set a three-month deadline for the President to decide on state bills referred by governors for Presidential assent. This landmark ruling aims to prevent indefinite delays in the legislative process.

The court emphasized that if the President fails to act within this timeframe, the concerned state government can file a writ petition seeking a mandamus—essentially compelling the President to act.

“The President of India cannot exercise an ‘absolute veto’ or a ‘pocket veto.’ A failure to provide reasons may give rise to a presumption of lack of bona fides,” the court observed.

Under Article 201 of the Constitution, no specific deadline previously existed for Presidential decisions on bills. The Supreme Court’s ruling now provides a structured timeline to prevent misuse or inaction.

SC also fixes timeline for governors under Article 200

On April 8, the Supreme Court also ruled that governors cannot indefinitely delay bills passed by state legislatures. The bench, comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, interpreted the phrase “as soon as possible” under Article 200 as requiring timely action, setting a decision window of one to three months for governors as well.

The bench clarified that the Constitution does not permit a Governor to exercise an absolute veto or delay action indefinitely. “There is no scope for the Governor to simply withhold assent without explanation,” the judgment noted.

Though Article 200 lacks a specific deadline, the court stressed that this does not allow for indefinite delays, which could obstruct the legislative function of the state.

Failure to comply will invite judicial review

The bench underlined that these timelines ensure respect for constitutional roles and promote the effective functioning of India’s federal structure. If the timeline is not adhered to, the court stated, the inaction of governors could be subject to judicial review.

This judgment is particularly significant for several opposition-led states—such as Kerala, Punjab, Telangana, and West Bengal—that have petitioned the Supreme Court against delays by governors in providing assent to bills passed by their legislatures.

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