In this judgment, the top court had set a timeline of maximum three months for President, Governors to act on pending State Bills
The Supreme Court on Monday (July 14, 2025) questioned the Centre’s objection to Kerala exercising the right of the State to withdraw its petitions challenging the Governor’s delay in approving crucial Bills.
Kerala, represented by senior advocate K.K. Venugopal, said the State was withdrawing as its petitions have become infructuous on basis of an apex court judgment om April 8 in the Tamil Nadu Governor’s case.
In this judgment, the top court had set a timeline of maximum three months for President, Governors to act on pending State Bills.
In the hearing before a Bench headed by Justice P.S. Narasimha, Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted a Presidential Reference has been made to the apex court seeking clarification on the Tamil Nadu Governor judgment of April 8.
The top law officers urged the court to keep the petitions filed by Kerala pending till the Presidential Reference was decided by a larger Bench.
Justice Narasimha remarked that a State was well within its right to withdraw the petitions.
Mr. Venugopal expressed surprise at the Centre’s objection. He said he could prove that even the Presidential Reference was “infructuous”.
The senior counsel said the April 8 verdict by a Division Bench of the apex court was based on an earlier judgment of the court by a three-judge Bench in the case of the delays caused by the Punjab Governor to clear Bills.