Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 01:44pm on 20 Nov 2025,Thursday India
In a landmark ruling on a presidential reference under Article 143, the Supreme Court addressed 11 of 14 questions about a Governor’s powers under Articles 200 and 201. The Court held that Governors cannot indefinitely withhold assent to bills — they may assent, return the bill with comments, or reserve it for the President. While Governors do have discretion, their decisions are limited and subject to limited judicial review, particularly if there is unexplained delay. Significantly, the Court rejected fixed timelines for assent and the concept of “deemed assent,” saying that imposing both would violate the separation of powers. (PC: Bar and Bench)
