Overview

• A bench of Justices P. S. Narasimha and A. S. Chandurkar granted Kerala permission to withdraw its petitions challenging the Governor’s prolonged reservation of seven assembly bills.
• Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the court to retain the petitions until the President’s Article 143 advisory reference on assent timelines is decided.
• Senior advocate K. K. Venugopal argued that Kerala’s pleas had become infructuous after the April 8 Tamil Nadu judgment imposed a three-month deadline and deemed-assent mechanism.
• The President’s reference asks a Constitution Bench to evaluate the Supreme Court’s authority under Article 142 to set binding timelines for Governors and the President.
• The unfolding debate highlights constitutional gaps in Articles 200 and 201 and raises questions about balancing state legislative autonomy with judicial oversight.