Tamil Nadu notifies 10 Acts without governor's assent after Supreme Court’s verdict

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government notified 10 Acts in the state Gazette without assent from the Governor or the President, becoming the first to do so in the Indian legislative history, India Today reported.

The Acts that the government notified were withheld by Governor RN Ravi causing the government to approach the Supreme Court.

The apex court last week pulled up the Governor, ruling that the Governor’s referral of the Bills to the President as ‘legally flawed’, according to India Today.

Following the Supreme Court verdict, Stalin administration officially notified the Acts on April 11 in an unprecedented move.

A Bill passed by the state legislature, according to the Constitution of India, has to be directed to the Governor for assent.

In the event of not making it an Act, the governor can withhold assent or return the bill for reconsideration or reserve it for the President's consideration, according to India Today.

But when the legislature returned the Bill after passing again with or without changes, Governor must assent it without reserving it.

However, in matters that affect for example the High Court or central subjects, the Bill must be sent to the President for assent.

The Governor in the case of Tamil Nadu withheld assent, before incorrectly forwarding it to the President, leading to the legal challenge.

With the notification of the Acts, Tamil Nadu government has become the first to do so without formal assent of the Governor or the President.

Recognizing the authority of the state legislature, the Supreme Court verdict termed the Governor’s action of sending the Bills to the President unconstitutional alongside the violation of Article 200 of the Constitution.