Can a Governor Block a State Bill Forever? SC's Verdict

A Governor has four options on a state bill: assent, withhold, return it, or reserve it for the President — but no fixed deadline to choose.

In April 2025 the SC tried to impose 1–3 month timelines and 'deemed' 10 Tamil Nadu bills passed; in November 2025 a larger bench reversed that.

There is no 'deemed assent' in the Constitution — courts cannot treat a bill as law just because a Governor sat on it.

Governor and President decisions on bills can't be challenged in court until after the law actually takes effect.

States can still sue for 'inaction', but the practical remedy is now political pressure, not a judicial stopwatch.