GAP IN GOVERNANCE

The recent indictment of the Supreme Court which categorically states that the constitutional head of a state should be guided by the values of Constitution and not by political expediency’ is significant and much needed.

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The landmark ruling that the Governor must respect the will of the people, as is elected by decisions taken by elected representatives in the Assembly, and must refrain from creating roadblocks, is expected to end the stalemate over the powers of governors in various states.

Justice Pardiwala, who penned the judgment, observed that, as per Article 200 of the Constitution, the governor has only three options when a bill is placed before him: grant assent, withhold it and send it back for reconsideration or reserve it for the President. It was clarified that a bill could be reserved for the President only at the first instance.

The impartiality of the governor’s role has come under attack, as they have been found to disturb elected governments. Political analysts have alleged that governors have not acted with the necessary objectivity in the exercise of their powers or in their states at a distant.