President's assent
Also called: Article 111 · Topic: Parliamentary Procedure, Committees and Privileges · NCERT: Class 8, Ch 6 "The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive"; Class 11, Ch 5 "Legislature"
Meaning
President's assent is the President's formal approval, under Article 111. It is the last step that turns a bill passed by both Houses into an Act. The President has three choices: give assent, withhold assent, or send a bill that is not a money bill back once so Parliament can reconsider it. If both Houses pass the returned bill again, with or without changes, the President must give assent. The Constitution sets no time limit for this decision.
Example
After both Houses passed the Right to Education bill in 2009, it needed the President's assent to become the RTE Act. Once assent is given, the Act is published in the Gazette. It comes into force on the date the government notifies.
Don't confuse with
- Assent to a Constitution amendment bill: for an amendment bill under Art. 368, the President must give assent (24th Amendment, 1971). There is no option to withhold it or return the bill.