SUPREME COURT TO CONSIDER PLEAS OF KERALA AGAINST GOVERNOR OVER DELAY IN APPROVING BILLS PASSED BY STATE ASSEMBLY

The Centre maintained in the Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 22, 2025) that a judgment delivered in a case filed by the State of Tamil Nadu on April 8, requiring Governors and President to decide on pending State Bills within a maximum of three months, will not apply to neighbouring Kerala.

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Can't decide on Kerala's plea based on Tamil Nadu Governor case judgment, Centre tells Supreme Court

A Bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi was told by both Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the facts of Tamil Nadu's case against the delay caused by its Governor R.N. Ravi in clearing 10 re-passed Bills did not "cover" Kerala. Mr. Mehta said the government was still studying the Tamil Nadu Governor case judgment, and sought an adjournment.

Mr. Venkataramani said the difference in the cases of the two States lay "essentially in the facts".

Senior advocate K.K. Venugopal and advocate C.K. Sasi said the maximum three-month deadline set by the Supreme Court in the April 8 judgment for Governors and the President to decide whether or not to grant assent to Bills would apply across States.

All the Centre had to say in court was whether the Kerala Governor was bound by the Supreme Court timelines, Mr. Venugopal submitted.