DMK says Supreme Court's 'no timelines can be imposed for Governors' only an opinion

Chennai, Nov 20 (PTI) Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK on Thursday said that the Supreme Court's 'no timelines for Governors,' in the matter of Presidential reference was only an opinion and not a judgment.

Hence, it was not binding and will not have any impact on adjudication in courts, the party said.

DMK Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate P Wilson said, "This was not a judgment, and it was only an opinion given by the apex court" on the Presidential reference as per the Constitutional provisions.

Such an opinion given today will not be binding on the apex court during adjudication, he told reporters here.

"The opinion given today, will not be binding in any manner," he asserted citing the 9-judge bench case in 1974 in the Ahmedabad St Xavier's College Society v State of Gujarat.

Also, as per para 26 of the opinion given today, the SC has said that its opinion will not affect the Supreme Court judgment delivered in April this year by a Division Bench headed by Justice JB Pardiwala in a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government over Governor referring bills to President.

That judgment earlier this year fixed 3-month timeline for the President and the Governors to clear state bills.

Hence, the judgment already delivered will not be affected by the SC opinion, the noted DMK advocate said.

It may be recalled that the Tamil Nadu government notified on April 12, 2025 as many as 10 Acts after the apex court judgment that said the bills adopted again by the Assembly and sent to the President by the Governor were deemed to have received assent.

The 10 bills cover state-run varsities, and a key aspect is the transfer the powers to appoint VCs from the Governor-chancellor to the state government.

It includes those to amend the Tamil Nadu Fisheries University Act, and the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Act. A bill to amend the Universities laws, the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University Act, was among the other bills.

The Madras HC had granted interim stay on the operation of these amendment Acts and the government later preferred an appeal against it in the apex court.

Days ago, the Raj Bhavan denied that Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi caused delay in giving his assent to the bills passed by the State Assembly and it said "81 per cent of the Bills" have been assented to by the Governor.

Taking exception to certain "unfounded and factually incorrect allegations" made in public domain that the Governor was delaying assent to the bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, and that his "actions were against the interests of the people," the Raj Bhavan said the official records of Raj Bhavan showed of the total bills received as on October 31, 2025 as much as 81 per cent were assented. PTI VGN VGN KH