Supreme Court directs Punjab Governor to decide on pending bills, says "you are playing with fire"

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Synopsis

On Friday, the Governor also issued notice in a similar plea by the Tamil Nadu Government over the inaction, omission, delay by the Governor to give his assent to the Bills pending before him.

A CJI Chandrachud led bench today asked the Punjab Governor how he could say that a session where four Bills were passed by the Punjab legislature, was unconstitutional. 

"You are playing with fire..its a matter of serious concern..", the bench had added.

The Punjab Government and its Governor have been at loggerheads over the budget session since June.

Court was informed yesterday that the Governor had not assented to those four bills on account of the session being prorogued 

To this, the bench also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said, "Casting doubt on the validity of the house of sessions is not a constitutional option available to the Governor..".

Governor Banwarilal Purohit has now been asked to decide the bills pending before him.

While hearing the instant plea by the Punjab Government against their Governor not giving assent to Bills pending before him, the Supreme Court had observed that Governors had to do some soul searching and realize that they are not elected representatives.

"Why do parties have to move the supreme court now..the governor and Chief Ministers have to deal with this..", CJI had said.

Recently, Kerala Government had approached the Supreme Court seeking appropriate orders in relation to the inaction on the part of the Governor of the State in relation to as many as 8 Bills passed by the State Legislature and presented to the Governor for his assent under Article 200 of the Constitution.

Of these, 3 Bills have remained pending with the Governor for more than 2 years, and 3 more in excess of a full year, the plea submitted.

Few days back, the Tamil Nadu Government had also moved the Supreme Court over the inaction, omission, delay and failure to comply with the constitutional mandate by the Governor of Tamil Nadu to give his assent to the Bills passed and forwarded by the Tamil Nadu State Legislature to him.

Tamil Nadu has told Court that the non-consideration of files, Government orders and policies forwarded by the State Government for his signature is unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary, unreasonable besides malafide exercise of power.

Case Title: State of Punjab vs. Governor