New Delhi, July 30 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday set the stage for detailed hearings in the presidential reference concerning whether governors and the president can be judicially compelled to act within fixed timelines on state bills, scheduling the matter before a five-judge Constitution bench starting August 19. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and comprising Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, PS Narasimha and Atul S Chandurkar, finalised a nine-day hearing calendar extending into September. The court also decided to hear preliminary objections raised by Kerala and Tamil Nadu against the maintainability of the reference at the outset before allowing the Union government and other supporting parties to present arguments. The bench accepted a request by senior advocates KK Venugopal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kerala and Tamil Nadu respectively, to allow them make arguments on why the reference ought to be returned and how it is an attempt to re-litigate settled law and amounts to an appeal disguised as a reference. The bench directed that written submissions be filed by August 12. The hearings will take place on August 19, 20, 21 and 26, with arguments by the Union and supporting states. August 28 and September 2, 3, and 9 have been set aside for states opposing the reference, followed by a rejoinder by the Union on September 10. htc...