How did Tamil Nadu Governor send re-passed bills to President? Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its judgment on the petitions filed by the Tamil Nadu government against Governor RN Ravi's refusal to grant assent to several bills passed by the State Legislative Assembly, including those concerning the appointment of Vice Chancellors to State Universities..During the hearing on Monday, the Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan also questioned the Governor on how he could have sent a bill for consideration to the President after the bill was already reconsidered and assented by the State legislature for a second time after the Governor sent it back."If the bills came back to government and then (were) repassed and the Governor got the re-passed bill, then what was sent to President?" the Court asked.Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the State of Tamil Nadu, confirmed that bills which were reconsidered and passed a second time by the State legislature were sent to the President of India."How can a re-passed bill be sent to President?" the Court then asked Attorney General for India R Venkataramani, who was representing the Tamil Nadu Governor.The Bench observed that under Article 200 of the Constitution of India, the Governor can (apart from assenting to a bill) either withhold assent or refer the bill the President. Once the Governor sends the bill back to the legislature, the option under Article 200 to refer the bill to the President automatically goes.If the State legislature passes the bill again, then the Governor has to grant his assent, the Court remarked."If Governor withholds assent, automatically that proviso (to refer the matter to the President) does not come into effect," the Court stated..The State had moved the Court seeking directions to the Governor/ President to decide or give assent to bills passed by the State legislature in a time-bound manner.The State government has argued that the Governor, by indefinitely withholding assent on these bills, was holding the entire State to ransom. In such a situation, the Court must intervene, the Tamil Nadu government argued.During an earlier hearing on February 6, the Court had taken critical note that Governor appeared to have "devised his own procedure" in withholding assent to several bills passed by Tamil Nadu's legislative assembly, thereby rendering Constitutional provisions moot..Similar concerns were echoed by the Court on Monday (February 10) as well.During the hearing, the Bench stated that if the Governor does not communicate to the State on what are the issues in the bill which needs to be reconsidered, then the entire exercise of the bill being reconsidered is rendered an "empty formality.""Consider this with an open mind. You are the Attorney General for the country. Envisage two situations - that there are no discussions on any of this and (the Governor) sends back the bill and the State reconsiders it. What did they reconsider? They don't know what was in mind of Governor. So that (reconsideration) becomes an empty formality. Why this issue has been raised etc.. nothing was said at all (while sending the bill back to the legislative assembly). Reconsideration of the government cannot be (expected) to be in plain air," the top court said..The Court also reiterated concerns about whether the TN Governor was rendering Constitutional provisions moot by his actions.."Now when he is withholding the bill, he does not say because of what reason and then (he) sends it back. Maybe because if he says the reasons then if the State looks into it and sends it back, then the President has no option? So by not doing it (giving reasons), isn't the governor rendering the second option as otiose?" remarked Justice Pardiwala. .Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, meanwhile, maintained that the Governor can only act, in any scenario, on the "aid and advice of the council of ministers."Attorney General R Venkataramani fairly submitted that he is of the firm belief that Governor must act with a sense of responsibility since he is a constitutional authority. .Senior Advocates AM Singhvi, Mukul Rohatgi and P Wilson also appeared on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government..[Read live coverage below]