Kerala urges Supreme Court to dismiss president’s reference about timelines for bills assent

The Kerala government on Monday urged the Supreme Court to return unanswered the presidential reference that seeks clarity on whether courts can impose timelines on the president and the governors to act on bills passed by legislatures, Live Law reported.

In its application, the state argued that the reference was an attempt to reopen and overturn the Supreme Court’s April ruling in Tamil Nadu government’s case against the governor.

On July 22, the court issued notice to the Union government and all states on the reference made by President Droupadi Murmu under Article 143 of the Constitution.

According to Article 143 of the Constitution, the president may refer any question of law or fact of public importance to the Supreme Court for its opinion. The president makes such a reference based on the advice of the Union council of ministers.

In May, referencing 14 questions, Murmu asked whether the actions of governors and the president could be tried in court and whether such timelines could be imposed on them in the absence of any such provision in the law.

The president also said that Article 200 and Article 201 of the Constitution do not prescribe deadlines or specific procedural requirements.

In light of the reference, the Supreme Court set up a Constitution bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai, and Justices Surya...

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