India, April 12 -- In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has 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" o...