The story so far: The Supreme Court on November 10 flagged that the “constitutional deadlock” created by Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi’s failure to assent to twelve crucial Bills passed by the Legislature was a “serious concern.” On the same day, the Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud also chided Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, observing that not giving assent to Bills by calling a legislative assembly session unconstitutional was akin to “playing with fire.” The Court went on to highlight that the Governor is only the ‘titular head’ and that Bills being kept in limbo could result in the potential breakdown of parliamentary democracy.
In the recent past, prolonged delay in assenting to Bills has become a source of confrontation between Opposition-ruled States and their governors — provoking a battery of State governments to approach the Supreme Court alleging that such conduct is stymieing day-to-day governance. Tamil Nadu has accused Governor R.N. Ravi of positioning himself as a ‘political rival’ and creating a constitutional deadlock by sitting on the Bills for months. Kerala has moved two separate petitions against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan accusing him of trying to “defeat the rights of the people” of the State by indefinitely sitting on crucial Bills, especially those addressing post-COVID public health concerns.
Punjab has contended that seven of its Bills have been pending consideration by the Governor since June, threatening to bring the administration to a “grinding halt.” Similarly, a collective of academicians, including former Vice Chancellors, last week urged the West Bengal government to approach the SC on the issue of Bills pending with the Governor, owing to which the search and selection committees for 31 Universities in the State have been stalled.
