On 25th July, the Supreme Court allowed the Kerala government to withdraw its petitions filed against the Governor over delays in approving bills passed by the state assembly.

The bench, led by Justices P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar, permitted the withdrawal after Kerala’s senior lawyer K K Venugopal said the matter was no longer relevant following the recent Supreme Court verdict in a similar case involving the Tamil Nadu Governor.

However, Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the withdrawal, urging the court to wait for the President’s opinion under Article 143 regarding assent to bills.

Earlier, on 8th April, the Supreme Court had ruled that the Tamil Nadu Governor’s move to reserve 10 bills for the President’s assent was illegal and introduced a three-month deadline for such decisions. Kerala had sought similar relief in its plea.

The Kerala government had accused then-Governor Arif Mohammed Khan of delaying action on seven bills — some for nearly two years — and even sending them to the President, despite no concerns from the Centre or the state being involved. The state claimed this hindered the legislature’s functioning and delayed bills meant for public welfare.

Later, the Home Ministry said the President had withheld assent to four of those bills.

The Constitution does not specify the timeframe for the President to decide on such matters, and Governors are not liable in court for these actions under Article 361.

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