(1.) In exercise of powers conferred under Article 143(1) of the Constitution of India, the President of India has on 13th May, 2025 referred fourteen questions relating to interpretation of powers of the Governor under Articles 200 and 201 along with certain ancillary questions for opinion of the Supreme Court. The context that occasioned the reference, followed by the questions are as follows;
(2.) As per the orders of the Chief Justice of India, the reference was placed before the Constitution Bench following the procedure prescribed under Order XXXVII of the Supreme Court Rules on 22.07.2025. Learned Solicitor General appeared for the Union of India, and we requested the Attorney General to assist the Court.
(3.) Formal notices were issued to States and Union Territories and they were asked to file written submissions. Pursuant to the filing of these submissions, hearing commenced on 19.08.2025 with the Attorney General addressed this Court on the scope of the reference. The Solicitor General who made exhaustive submissions on behalf of the Union of India. He was followed by Mr. Neeraj Kishan Kaul for the State of M.P., Mr. Harish Salve for the State of Maharashtra, Mr. Maninder Singh for the State of Rajasthan, Mr. K.M. Nataraj, ASG for the States of Orissa and Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Vikramjit Banerjee, ASG for the State of Goa, Mr. Vinay Navare for the Union Territory of Puducherry and Mr. Guru Krishna Kumar for the State of Haryana.