The Supreme Court ruled on April 8, 2025, that Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi’s act of withholding 10 State Bills was “illegal” and “erroneous.”
The Court clarified that Governors and the President do not have arbitrary power to delay or block laws passed by elected State Assemblies.
This judgment gave much-needed clarity on the role and limits of Governors in the law-making process.
Despite this, the Union government has asked the Supreme Court again for its opinion on the same issue through a Presidential Reference under Article 143.
Critics say the Centre should have accepted the verdict or sought a review through normal legal channels, instead of reopening the issue.
The misuse of Governors’ powers has led to tensions between the Centre and various State governments.
Governors are appointed by the Centre and are not supposed to interfere with the functioning of elected State governments.
The Centre could have used the judgment to resolve the controversy and, if needed, made constitutional changes to support it.
Instead, the Centre appears to be trying to give itself more power through Governors, which goes against the spirit of the Constitution.
The judgment offered a solid base for a national consensus on Governors’ roles.
The Centre should accept the judgment and, if needed, hold talks with Chief Ministers and political parties to settle any remaining issues.
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