When a Governor Sits on a Bill: The 2025 Reset

A Governor has four choices on a state bill: assent, withhold, send it back, or reserve it for the President.

On most bills the Governor must follow the elected Cabinet's advice, not personal preference.

April 2025: a two-judge bench fixed 1-month and 3-month deadlines and 'deemed' 10 Tamil Nadu bills passed.

November 2025: a five-judge bench overruled that — no court-set deadlines, no 'deemed assent'.

Courts can still step in if a Governor sits on a bill with no explanation for an unreasonably long time.