Supreme Court Questions Tamil Nadu Governor's Silence on Legislative Bills

The Supreme Court has raised concerns over Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi's prolonged silence on legislative bills, questioning his decision to withhold assent and refer them to the President. The court examined the constitutional provisions regarding the Governor's powers and emphasized the supremacy of parliamentary democracy.

The Supreme Court scrutinized Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi's extended silence regarding bills passed by the legislative assembly, expressing doubts over his authority to withhold assent and send re-passed bills to the President.

Addressing the dispute, the bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan queried Attorney General R Venkataramani, reserving its final decision. The Governor's delayed response prompted Tamil Nadu to approach the apex court, citing pending bills since 2020.

Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi emphasized the dominance of parliamentary democracy, arguing the Governor's lack of discretion under Article 200, in alignment with the court's interpretation post the landmark Kesavananda Bharati case.

(With inputs from agencies.)