SC advisory today on Presidential Reference on Governors’ timelines, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court will pronounce its advisory opinion on a Presidential Reference regarding the court's authority over the conduct of Governors and the President in dealing with State Bills.
• The core issue involves the timeline for Governors to assent to or reserve State Bills for presidential consideration.
• The Union government criticized the court for allegedly encroaching on the domains of the Governors and the President.
• An earlier April 8 judgment by the Supreme Court imposed a three-month deadline for Governors and the President to act on Bills.

Detailed Insights:

• The Presidential Reference emerged from disputes between Opposition-ruled States and their Governors concerning delays in clearing important laws.
• The Union government argued that the April 8 judgment imposed a "one-size-fits-all" solution, which is unsuitable due to the context-specific issues of each Bill.
• The Attorney General argued that Governors should have the discretion to assess the constitutionality of Bills before assenting to or withholding them.
• The Supreme Court had previously asserted that it cannot remain "idle" if a constitutional authority fails to fulfill their duties.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Presidential Reference: A mechanism under Article 143 of the Constitution where the President seeks the Supreme Court's opinion on a question of law or fact.
• State Bills: Proposed laws passed by the State legislature that require the Governor's assent to become law.
• Governor's Assent: The approval given by the Governor to a State Bill, without which it cannot become law.