Use of Article 143 by Prez not unprecedented

President Droupadi Murmu invoking powers under the Presidential Reference to consult the Supreme Court is one of the rare occasions that the special provision has been used, according to legal experts.

- BHAVINI MISHRA

It is, however, not the first time that the President has used powers granted under Article 143(1) of the Constitution to take the views of the court on questions of law or a matter of public importance, they said.

Murmu on Wednesday posed 14 questions to the Supreme Court on several aspects of law, including on the ambit of powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, which gives the court powers "for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it".

On April 8, a two-judge Bench of Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan had invoked the special powers granted to the Supreme Court to deliver a judgment that asked governors and the President to decide on state Bills passed by the legislature within fixed timelines.