{"id":74939,"date":"2025-11-25T10:44:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T05:14:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=74939"},"modified":"2025-11-25T11:28:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T05:58:41","slug":"supreme-courts-advisory-opinion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/supreme-courts-advisory-opinion\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court\u2019s Advisory Opinion on Governor\u2019s Powers"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Advisory Opinion Latest News<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court has issued a significant advisory opinion under <\/span><b>Article 143<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the Constitution, responding to a Presidential reference triggered by a two-judge Bench judgment from April 2025 related to delays in assent to State Bills.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Background to the Presidential Reference<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Presidential reference arose due to the Supreme Court\u2019s April 2025 judgment in <\/span><b>State of Tamil Nadu vs. Governor of Tamil Nadu<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mandated a three-month timeline for Governors and the President to act on Bills,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Declared such decisions judicially reviewable,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercised <\/span><b>Article 142<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> powers to grant \u201cdeemed assent\u201d to several pending Tamil Nadu Bills.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This ruling generated constitutional uncertainty, prompting the Union government to seek clarification on:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether courts can prescribe timelines,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether presidential inaction is justiciable,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether the Supreme Court\u2019s Article 142 powers can override constitutional provisions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Scope of Questions Raised in the Reference<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reference placed 14 constitutional questions before a Constitution Bench, primarily relating to:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interpretation of <\/span><b>Article 200<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Article 201<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> regarding assent to State Bills,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether courts can intervene before a Bill becomes law,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The justiciability of delays,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The permissible boundaries of Article 142.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These questions went to the heart of India\u2019s federal structure and the functional relationship among State legislatures, Governors, and the Union.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Key Takeaways from the Supreme Court\u2019s Advisory Opinion<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The five-judge Bench delivered a comprehensive opinion, which reshapes constitutional understanding on several fronts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Governor\u2019s Options Under Article 200<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court clarified that a Governor has three constitutionally recognised choices when presented with a Bill:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assent,<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reserve the Bill for Presidential consideration,<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Withhold assent and return the Bill to the legislature with observations.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These options are explicitly grounded in the constitutional text.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Discretion of the Governor<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court held that the Governor enjoys discretion in choosing among these options and is not bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers regarding assent-related decisions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This interpretation marks a significant shift from earlier decisions such as <\/span><b>Shamsher Singh (1974)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Nabam Rebia (2016)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which emphasised the primacy of ministerial advice.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Limited Justiciability<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Governor\u2019s actions under Article 200 are generally not justiciable,<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in cases of \u201cglaring prolonged and unexplained inaction\u201d, courts may issue a limited mandamus directing the Governor to act,<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Courts cannot review the validity of the Governor\/President\u2019s decision before a Bill becomes law.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>No Judicial Timelines<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A key reversal of the April 2025 judgment: the Court held that in the absence of constitutional timelines, the judiciary cannot prescribe time limits for Governors or the President to act on Bills.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>No \u2018Deemed Assent\u2019<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court strongly rejected the concept of \u201cdeemed assent,\u201d holding that the judiciary cannot substitute executive authority through Article 142. Assent-related decisions belong exclusively to the Governor or President.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Issues Arising from the Opinion<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Potential Undermining of Legislative Intent<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court\u2019s recognition of wide gubernatorial discretion contradicts earlier judicial positions and expert committee recommendations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/sarkaria-commission\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Sarkaria Commission<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (1987) held that reserving Bills for the President should occur rarely, and only in cases of clear unconstitutionality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier Supreme Court cases insisted that Governors act on ministerial advice, not independent discretion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The current opinion risks allowing Governors to delay or derail the legislative agenda of elected State governments.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Concerns Over Lack of Timelines<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/punchhi-commission\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Punchhi Commission<\/b><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(2010) recommended a six-month limit for gubernatorial decisions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court itself had earlier set non-textual timelines (e.g., in K.M. Singh, three months for Speakers to decide disqualification petitions).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, critics argue that judicially crafted timelines can be constitutionally permissible when required to uphold democratic functioning.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The current advisory opinion rejects such purposive interpretation.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the Governor represents the Union and the ideal of national unity, federalism is a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/basic-structure\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>basic structure of the Constitution<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Moving forward:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Governors must exercise constitutional powers with responsible urgency,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Centre must ensure the office is not used to thwart State governments,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Judicial oversight must remain available to prevent constitutional paralysis while respecting the separation of powers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/what-does-the-scs-advisory-opinion-imply-explained\/article70318955.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Supreme Court\u2019s advisory opinion on the Article 143 reference clarifies the Governor\u2019s discretion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":74953,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[3867,60,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-74939","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-advisory-opinion","9":"tag-mains-articles","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74939"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74939\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74953"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}