If governor can veto a bill at threshold, then he can block Money Bill as well: Top court

Even as it was told that a Bill, passed by the State legislature, would perish if the Governor in exercise of his powers under Article 200 of the Constitution withhold his assent without taking recourse to returning it to the State assembly with a message or reserving it for consideration by the President, the Supreme Court on Tuesday once again voiced its reservations, asking whether it was to adopt a hands-off position if Bills are languishing for a long time with the Governor or the President for assent.

- PARMOD KUMAR

The top court expressed its concern as senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the Maharashtra government, told a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai that the Union government can block any Bill passed by the State legislature, and the Supreme Court cannot question the Governor or the President as to why the Bill presented for assent was not being acted upon. Mr Salve said: "The Governor is beyond the pale of judicial reviews. Governor cannot be asked 'why he did what he did' and 'no mandamus c