MyVoice: Views of our readers 14th April 2025

SC verdict upholds constitutional morality

In a landmark ruling, Supreme Court for the first time laid down a strict timeline for the President of India to decide on bills reserved for her consideration by state governors, mandating a decision within three months of receiving such references. The apex court’s decision came just days after it declared the Tamil Nadu Governor’s move to reserve 10 bills for the President’s assent as “illegal and erroneous in law.” The detailed 415-page judgment, uploaded late Friday night, not only reprimanded the delay tactics of governors but also stated that governors are constitutionally bound to act on the aid and advice of the state’s Council of Ministers. The court noted that there is no concept of a “pocket veto” or “absolute veto” available to the President or the Governor under Articles 200 and 201 of the Constitution. Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, who delivered the verdict on April 8, declared that if the President fails to act within three months, reasons for the delay must be recorded and communicated to the state. Moreover, states are also expected to cooperate with the Centre by providing information and responses promptly. The bench was critical of Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi, asserting that he acted in bad faith by indefinitely delaying assent to bills, and then reserving them for the President’s consideration following a prior Supreme Court directive. This judgment marks a significant step toward curbing arbitrary delays by constitutional authorities and reinforces the accountability of both the Governor and the President in the law-making process of states.

Bhagwan Thadani, Mumbai

***

Once again the Judiciary has saved the democracy. The SC ruling on the exercise of powers under Article 200 by Governors to clear the bills within a reasonable time or that shall be subject to judicial review, provided relief to states. SC also ruled that the President cannot keep the bill forwarded by Governor pending for more than 3 months. The SC laid to rest the ambiguity that enabled the Governors to “harrass” the non-BJP ruled states by delaying bills for indefinite period. It is very vividly observed that BJP intend to convey to voters that only a “double engine sarkar” can govern without obstructions, other governments will be frustrated through its institutions of Governor, ED, CBI, CAG etc.,

P R Ravinder, Malkajgiri Hyderabad

A Minister’s faux pas

Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K. Ponmudy who is no stranger to controversy has come in for a lot of flak for linking the symbols of Saivism and Vaishnavism to sexual positions. Even though the irrepressible Minister did not explicitly mention coitus, his reference to “horizontal” and “perpendicular” positions while narrating an interaction between a commercial sex worker and a client by gesture and whisper and his sheepish grin left no doubt as to the sexual innuendo he wanted to put across. Ponmudy’s desire to get the applause of the audience got the better of him. He ought to have reined in his flight of fancy and thought of better ways to defend his and his party’s ideological position vis-à-vis religion. The problem with the Minister is that he keeps a sharp, unbridled tongue whilst he, as a public figure, should be keeping a civil and courteous tongue in his head and take care not to put his foot in his mouth. His candid, yet crass statement made without forethought, the like of which is not normally made in a gathering of political activists, cost him his position as deputy general secretary of the party. His own party members and functionaries distanced themselves from his ’vulgar’ joke and even denounced it in no uncertain terms. Obviously, those who were full of righteous indignation at his ‘banter’ couldn’t take it light-heartedly or let it pass as a spur-of-the-moment witticism. In any case, Ponmudy has apologized for his socially incorrect remark decried as an ‘insult to women’ and an ‘attack on religion’ on it going viral. Astutely, he has forestalled the loss of his job as Minister.

G David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Belter of a game by SRH

When a very stiff target of 245 in 20 overs is chased with ease with 9 balls to spare, it is time for the bowlers to search for a deep hole to hide themselves. This is precisely what happened on Saturday when SRH made light work of the 245 run target set by Punjab Kings. Abhishek Sharma was the star of the show in the SRH innings with a blistering knock of 141 which knocked Punjab Kings out of the game. This year has been an unusual year in the sense that the usual laggards like Delhi Capitals are winning most of their matches while CSK has lost three consecutive matches at Chepauk which was once regarded as their unconquerable territory. Flat pitches, short boundaries, fast outfields and rules overwhelmingly in favour of the batters have made life difficult for the batters. A few more pitches favouring bowlers are needed at IPL venues to balance the scales.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai