Presidential Reference: Constitution Bench Continues Hearing LIVE

Quick Summary

• A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court is hearing a Presidential Reference on whether courts can impose timelines for Governors and the President to act on bills passed by state assemblies.
• On September 2,2025,three judges-Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, Justices Vikram Nath, and P.S. Narasimha-remarked that Governors cannot indefinitely delay their decision on bills presented for assent.
• Justice Narasimha emphasized that no organ of the government should impair constitutional functioning.
• Chief Justice Gavai cautioned against applying a generic timeline approach to all cases, as different bills may have varied exigencies and time frames associated with them.

!1200/PrezRefBench.jpg”>Image: Governors cannot sit over Bills endlessly – headline

Read more here

Indian Opinion Analysis
The ongoing debate reflects an evolving legal discourse about balancing powers between constitutional entities like Governors and elected state legislatures.The remarks by Supreme Court judges highlight concerns about indefinite delays in providing assent to bills, which could undermine legislative processes critical for governance. At the same time, Chief Justice Gavai’s caution against imposing generalized timelines underscores respect for judicial restraint and recognition of contextual nuances surrounding different legislations.

If clarified through this case, guidelines or principles from this decision could lend coherence to inter-institutional procedures while minimizing friction between state governments and gubernatorial offices-a possibly substantial step toward ensuring smoother constitutional functionality without stifling autonomous judgment within defined bounds.