Bills row: Governors need to do some soul-searching, says SC
Governors should remember they're not elected representatives, says Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud
The Supreme Court on Monday (November 6) observed that governors needed to do some soul searching and also realize that they are not elected representatives of the people.
The court made the observation as it directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to place an updated status report on the action taken by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on the bills passed by the state assembly.
The governments of Tamil Nadu and Kerala have also moved the apex court over the same issue against their respective governors.
"Governors must act before matter comes to SC"
A Bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said governors must act on bills even before the matters come before the apex court.
Mehta, appearing for the Punjab Governor, told the court that the governor has taken action on the bills placed before him and that the plea filed by the Punjab government was an unnecessary litigation.
"Governors must act even before the matter comes to the Supreme Court. This has to come to an end when governors act only when matters reach the Supreme Court....” the judges observed.
“A little bit of soul searching is needed by governors and they must know that they are not elected representatives of people.
"The (solicitor general) says the Punjab governor has taken action and an updated status report will be placed in a few days. Let the plea be listed on Friday and let the court be apprised of the action taken by the governor," said the Bench also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
The matter will now be heard on November 10.
Governor-AAP row
The Punjab governor has been having a running feud with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by chief minister Bhagwant Mann.
On November 1, Purohit gave his approval to two of the three bills sent to him, days after he wrote to Mann that he would examine all the proposed laws on merit before allowing those to be tabled in the House.
The governor's approval is needed to table money bills in the House.
Purohit has approved the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Indian Stamp (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023.
In an earlier letter to the chief minister, the governor withheld his approval to three money bills.
The governor had said the October 20-21 session, projected as an extension of the budget session, was "bound to be illegal" and that any business conducted during it "unlawful".
(With agency inputs)
