The Hon’ble Supreme Court, while dealing with a Writ Petition filed by the State of Tamil Nadu, held that the Governor cannot keep bills submitted to them pending without response indefinitely. The Court also held that delays in granting assent to bills that were repassed by the legislature, without any reason are both illegal and erroneous in law, and to put an end to the dispute, it also prescribed various timelines to be followed for the grant of assent and prevent arbitrary delays. The Court also stated that actions of Governors and the President are subject to judicial review as absence of the would shield their actions “in a lead casket” even in cases of constitutional violation.
