Prez asks SC on assent to Bills: Can timelines be imposed?

IN A REFERENCE to the Supreme Court, President Droupadi Murmu has posed 14 crucial questions over the top court's April 8 verdict that fixed timelines for governors and the President to act on Bills passed by state Assemblies.

- ANANTHAKRISHNAN G

Seeking the Supreme Court's opinion under Article 143(1), Murmu sought to know whether the actions of the governors and President are justiciable and whether such timelines can be imposed on them in the absence of any such provision in the Constitution.

The reference pointed out that "there are conflicting judgments of the Supreme Court as to whether the assent of the President of India under Article 201 of the Constitution of India is justiciable or not".