Suspensive veto
Topic: Union Executive: President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Council of Ministers · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 4 "Executive"
Meaning
The suspensive veto is the President's power under Art. 111 to send a bill back to Parliament once for reconsideration, meaning Parliament should think again. If Parliament passes it again, with or without changes, the President must sign. So it only delays a law; it cannot stop it. It does not apply to money bills, which cannot be returned. It also does not apply to constitution amendment bills, because the 24th Amendment (1971) made assent to them compulsory.
Example
In 2006 President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam returned the office-of-profit bill. Parliament passed it again, and he then signed it.
Don't confuse with
- Pocket veto: the President simply keeps a bill pending, because the Constitution sets no time limit. Zail Singh did this with the Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill, 1986.
- Qualified veto: this needs a higher majority to override, as in the US. India has none.