India, Nov. 24 -- The Presidential Reference concerning the powers of the Governors and the President in relation to state bills reached the Supreme Court through the exercise of the President's advisory jurisdiction under Article 143 of the Constitution.A specific judicial decision primarily triggered the Reference. The Tamil Nadu Government challenged the Governor's prolonged delay in giving assent to several bills passed by the State legislature.

The Supreme Court, on April 8, 2025, delivered a judgment in which a two-judge Bench found the Governor's indefinite delay to be "illegal" and "erroneous." The Apex Court, using its inherent power under Article 142, set specific timelines for Governors and the President to act on state bills ...