Supreme Court Upholds Democratic Process Amid Governor's Delays

The Supreme Court ruled that governors must adhere to timelines under Article 200 concerning legislative bills, reinforcing parliamentary democracy. Tamil Nadu Governor's delays on 10 bills led to a Supreme Court decision mandating prompt gubernatorial action. The Court emphasized constitutional values and dismissed the reservation of bills as unlawful.

The Supreme Court has emphasized that governors must adhere to established timelines under Article 200 when acting upon legislative bills, aiming to uphold the democratic conventions of parliamentary governance. The ruling came in light of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi's delays in processing bills passed by the assembly.

A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan underscored the importance of gubernatorial actions respecting the legislative process. They noted that governors should act within a one to three-month timeframe, emphasizing adherence to the constitutional oath and democratic principles over political expediency.

The Court utilized Article 142 to resolve the backlog of bills, declaring that those held for presidential review were unlawfully delayed. This landmark decision seeks to ensure timely gubernatorial decisions, reinforcing the collaborative operation between state governments and governors.

(With inputs from agencies.)