India, April 8 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi's decision to reserve ten re-enacted state bills for Presidential assent after having earlier withheld approval, declaring the move "erroneous" and in violation of the Constitution.

A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan held that the Governor's actions lacked bona fides and amounted to an impermissible "pocket veto," ruling that the ten bills-- re-passed by the Tamil Nadu assembly after initially being withheld -- were deemed to have received the Governor's assent on the day they were returned to him, setting aside any contrary action taken subsequently.

"We are of the firm view that the reservation of the ten bills is in contravention of A...