Stalin hails SC verdict on Tamil Nadu Guv, calls it 'historic'

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday praised the Supreme Court's ruling regarding Governor R N Ravi's act of withholding assent for 10 Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly, calling it 'historic' and a triumph for all state governments in India.

The SC ruled the bills are now considered to have been given the Governor's assent, Stalin told the Assembly, shortly after the apex court's order. "We thank and welcome today’s historic judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, reaffirming the legislative rights of State Legislatures and putting an end to the trend of Union government-nominated Governors stalling progressive legislative reforms in Opposition-ruled states," Stalin said in a social media post.

Earlier, the Supreme Court weighed in heavily on the Governor and said his reservation of 10 Bills for consideration by the President was in contravention of constitutional provisions. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said that under Article 200 of the Constitution, the governor does not possess any discretion and has to mandatorily act on the aid and advice of the council of ministers.

The Chief Minister told the House that many Bills that had been sent to the Governor after the Assembly adopted them were returned. They were re-adopted and again sent to him. "The Constitution mandates the Governor to approve the Bills once adopted for the second time, but he didn't. He was also delaying..." Stalin said, adding that the state government moved the SC against this.

The SC accepted the state government's just arguments and ruled "it has to be considered as the Governor having given his assent" and gave the historic verdict, he said. "This verdict is a victory not just for Tamil Nadu but all state governments in India," Stalin said.

"This is another crucial step in restoring balance in Union–State relations and a landmark victory in Tamil Nadu’s continuous struggle to usher in a truly federal India. My congratulations to the people of Tamil Nadu and our legal team!," the chief minister said in a social media post.

The DMK and the Governor have been at loggerheads over a number of issues. Earlier, the SC bench said the governor cannot withhold assent and adopt the concept of absolute veto or pocket veto. It said the governor is obligated to adopt one course of action: give assent to Bills, withhold assent, and reserve for consideration by the President.

The bench said it was not open for the governor to reserve Bill for consideration of the President after it was presented to him for the second time.

It said the governor must assent to the Bills produced before him in the second round and the only exception is in case the Bill in the second round is different from the first one.