In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has established a three-month deadline for the President to act on state bills that have been referred by governors. This ruling aims to eliminate prolonged delays in the legislative process between the Centre and states. The court emphasized that any delay beyond this period must be justified in writing and communicated to the concerned state government, ensuring more transparency and accountability in governance.
The ruling came in response to a legal dispute between the Tamil Nadu government and Governor RN Ravi, who had stalled 12 state bills, some dating back to 2020. In November 2023, he withheld assent to 10 of these bills, prompting the state assembly to re-enact them. However, the governor again referred the re-enacted bills to the President, which the Supreme Court found to be unconstitutional and in violation of Article 200 of the Constitution, thereby nullifying any resulting presidential actions.
The court further highlighted the need for both the Centre and the states to work collaboratively, stating that the Centre must act without undue delay and state governments must be responsive to feedback. The decision reinforces the constitutional balance of power and affirms that state legislatures’ democratic mandates must be respected rather than indefinitely obstructed by executive inaction.
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