NEW DELHI:  In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that timelines cannot be fixed for the governor and the President for giving assent to bills passed by state assemblies and the judiciary cannot also grant deemed assent to them.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice BR Gavai unanimously held that it would be against the interest of federalism, if the Governor without following due process under Article 200 (power to governor to provide assent to bills passed by assembly), is allowed to withhold bills.

The bench also comprising Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar said, “We don’t think governors have unfettered power to sit over bills passed by state assemblies”.