State of Punjab v. Governor of Punjab
Topic: State Government: Governor, Chief Minister, State Legislature and Union Territories · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
This is a Supreme Court judgment of 10 November 2023 on the Governor's choices under Article 200. These choices are to give assent (approval), withhold assent, or send the bill to the President. The Court held that a Governor who withholds assent must return the bill to the legislature. The Governor cannot keep it pending without end. The Court said an unelected head cannot stall the work of an elected legislature.
Example
Punjab's Governor questioned bills passed at Assembly sittings held in June 2023. The House had been adjourned (paused) at the time, not prorogued (formally closed). The Court held those sittings valid and told the Governor to decide on the bills.
Don't confuse with
- State of Tamil Nadu v. Governor of Tamil Nadu (2025): That case went further. It set timelines and treated ten bills as having received assent ("deemed assent"). The 2025 Presidential Reference later rejected both ideas.