TN assembly passes resolution seeking time frame for governors to approve bills
The resolution urged the Centre and the President to fix a time frame for governors to approve bills adopted by state assemblies
Upping the ante against Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi, the state assembly on Monday adopted a resolution urging the Centre and the President to fix a time frame for governors to approve bills adopted by state assemblies.
This comes in wake of Ravi telling aspiring civil servant last week in Chennai that the bills that are withheld should be considered “almost dead”. He was speaking on the Constitutional powers of the governor in a state.
The governor has been criticised by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the state for sitting on 20 bills approved by the state assembly since September 2021. He returned two bills to the House including the Undergraduate Medical Courses, 2021 Bill, which seeks to abolish the National-Eligibility-cum Entrance Test (NEET), last February for reconsideration. The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Games Bill, which seeks to ban online gambling, was returned in March as the governor contended the state assembly is not competent to frame a law on the subject.
There has been a clash between several non-BJP ruled state governments and governors over pending bills. Before Tamil Nadu, the governments of Kerala and West Bengal have written to the Centre on the governors not approving bills approved by the state assemblies.
On Monday, Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin moved a resolution in the House asking the Centre to advise the governor to give assent to pending bills with him in a time-bound manner.
Moving the resolution, Stalin launched a tirade against the governor, saying Ravi was not approving certain bills due to his “whims and fancies.” He also accused Ravi of converting the Raj Bhavan into a “political Bhavan” and accused him of being against the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu.
The resolution, which also recorded the bills kept pending by the governor, was passed when the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) was not present in the House. Earlier in the day, the E Palaniswami-led party walked out of the House over the law and order issue. The lone BJP member walked out when the DMK brought the resolution.
The ruling DMK-led Social Progressive Alliance had decided to hold a protest outside the Raj Bhawan against the governor’s remarks on April 14. The alliance in a statement said that the governor was trying to be a representative of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) combine. “He is creating unnecessary tension, controversies and social upheaval in Tamil Nadu,” the statement said.
As per the Constitutional arrangement, a Governor cannot reject a bill. He can send back a bill to the state government with his objection or observations. Once the assembly approves the bill for the second time, the governor can either give consent or forward the bill for President’s consideration. However, the Constitution does not provide the time frame for the governor to decide on either of the two.
(With PTI inputs)
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