Supreme Court Clarifies: President and Governors Cannot Be Bound by Timelines for Bill Approval

Nov 20, 2025 05:01 pm CST

The Supreme Court of India has ruled that the President and state Governors cannot be constrained by timelines when approving Bills. In response to President Droupadi Murmu's constitutional queries, a five-judge Constitution bench led by Chief Justice BR Gavai unanimously determined that imposing judicial deadlines would contradict constitutional provisions. The court clarified that presidential and gubernatorial actions remain outside judicial review until a Bill becomes law, overruling previous judgments on 'deemed assent.'