In a major turning point for state politics and federal relations, ten bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly—twice—have finally become law. These bills had been stuck for years, with Governor RN Ravi refusing to sign off on them. But now, thanks to a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court, the laws have been cleared without the Governor or the President’s approval.
What the Supreme Court Said
The top court called the Governor’s actions “illegal” and made it clear that he cannot send bills to the President after refusing to sign them. A bench led by Justices S.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan ruled that once a bill is passed a second time by the Assembly, it should be treated as law from that day forward—even if the Governor doesn’t give his nod.
“These bills shall be deemed to be cleared from the date it was re-presented,” the court said in its order.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin praised the verdict and called it “historic.”
“This is a big victory for all Indian states,” Stalin said. “It reaffirms the spirit of democracy and shows that the will of an elected government cannot be blocked unfairly.”
What the Bills Are About
The ten bills include changes to how Vice Chancellors are appointed in state-run universities. These changes take away some of the Governor’s power in choosing candidates for these top posts. The bills had been passed by the Assembly, sent to the Governor, and returned—twice. Eventually, the Assembly held a special session to pass them again unanimously and resend them.
Instead of signing them, the Governor sent them to President Droupadi Murmu, which further delayed their progress.
But the Supreme Court stepped in and said that wasn’t allowed. If a Governor withholds assent and the Assembly sends the bill back, they can’t then forward it to the President.
From Political Fight to Legal Victory
This clash between the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and Governor Ravi—appointed by the BJP—had dragged on for years. Stalin’s party accused the Governor of trying to block development by “undermining the elected administration.”
The Supreme Court had previously warned that it might have to step in if both sides didn’t resolve the issue. In February, the court even asked the Governor why it took him three years to raise concerns about some bills. This followed repeated signals from the court that delays like these were not acceptable in a democracy.
A Bigger Battle Over Federal Rights
The DMK had first taken the matter to the Supreme Court in 2023, asking for an order forcing the Governor to act on the bills. Interestingly, two of these bills were actually passed during the time of the earlier AIADMK-led government, which shows how far back the issue goes.
Appearing on behalf of the Governor, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that Governors are not just “technical supervisors” and play a crucial role in lawmaking. But the court made it clear: the Constitution only gives them three choices under Article 200—approve the bill, reject it, or send it to the President. And they need to make that decision within a month.
No Attack on Governor’s Role, Says Court
While taking this bold step, the Supreme Court also said it was not trying to weaken the Governor’s position. “All actions of the Governor must align with the principle of parliamentary democracy,” the judges said.
What Happens Now
With the court’s order, these ten bills are now officially laws as of November 18, 2023, when they were last re-passed and sent to the Governor. The Tamil Nadu government has published gazette notifications to make it official.
This moment could have ripple effects across other states where non-BJP governments have similar complaints about their Governors. And for Tamil Nadu, it marks the end of a long political and legal standoff—one that’s now gone down in history.
