President Murmu Seeks Supreme Court Insights on Governor's Decision-Making

In a significant legal development, President Droupadi Murmu has sought the opinion of the Supreme Court on 14 pertinent constitutional questions. These questions revolve around the discretionary powers and timelines imposed on governors and the President regarding bills passed by state assemblies.

Invoking Article 143(1), President Murmu emphasized the need for urgent clarification due to the public importance of these legal issues. The questions include the constitutional obligations of a governor when presented with a bill, and whether the governor's and President's actions in this context are subject to judicial review.

This move follows an April 8 Supreme Court verdict that mandated timelines for governors' actions on bills, concluding that governors must follow the advice of their respective councils of ministers concerning bills under Article 200. The ruling permits state governments to escalate to the Supreme Court if a President withholds assent to a bill.

(With inputs from agencies.)