Article 168 of the Constitution of India begins with the words “For every State there shall be a Legislature which shall consist of the Governor” and …….two Houses …or one House. I have always thought the presence of the Governor in the state legislature is redundant. Why should an unelected official be a member of the legislature composed of elected representatives of the people? Ceremonial duties such as Address to the House or Houses, and other so-called ‘legislative’ functions (Articles 202 to 207), could be performed without the governor being a part of the state legislature — like the King of England.

The governor’s real role in the legislative branch of the State is to grant assent to Bills. This is indeed an important function to complete the legislative process before a Bill becomes an Act. In order to ensure that the legislature has not transgressed the Constitutional limits, it is necessary to confer upon a person the power to grant or refuse assent.

Check, nor stall

Article 200 reads:

“When a Bill has been passed by the Legislative Assembly of a State ….it shall be presented to the Governor and the Governor shall declare either that he assents to the Bill or that he withholds assent therefrom or that he reserves the Bill for the consideration of the President.”

The proviso to........

© Mathrubhumi English