Which of the following Bills, if presented to the President, can be subjected only to an absolute veto (i.e., complete refusal of assent) and not to a suspensive veto?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
Solution: The correct answer is A State Bill reserved by a Governor for the President's consideration, dealing with compulsory acquisition of property without compensation.
Explanation:
☛ Under Article 201 of the Indian Constitution, when a Bill passed by a State Legislature is reserved by the Governor for the consideration of the President, the President may either declare assent or withhold assent.
☛ When a State Bill is inherently unconstitutional or directly violates constitutional guarantees—such as the compulsory acquisition of private property without providing compensation—it cannot be remedied simply by legislative reconsideration.
☛ In such circumstances, the President cannot exercise a suspensive veto (returning the bill for reconsideration) to validate an unconstitutional measure, and must exercise an absolute veto by completely withholding assent.
☛ A suspensive veto is used when the President returns a bill to the legislature for reconsideration, which can be overridden if the legislature passes it again.
Extra Exam-Relevant Facts:
☛ Constitutional Amendment Bill: Under Article 368, amended by the 24th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1971, the President is obligated to give assent and possesses no veto power.
☛ Money Bill: Under Article 111, the President can either give assent or withhold assent, but cannot return a Money Bill for reconsideration.
☛ Pocket Veto: The President can keep a bill pending indefinitely without giving or withholding assent, as the Constitution does not prescribe a time limit.
☛ First use of Pocket Veto: President Giani Zail Singh exercised a pocket veto in 1986 on the Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill.
Important One-Liners for Upcoming Exams:
☛ Which Article deals with the veto powers of the President regarding Union Bills? → Article 111
☛ Which Article deals with Bills reserved by the Governor for the President's consideration? → Article 201
☛ Which Constitutional Amendment made Presidential assent mandatory on Constitutional Amendment Bills? → 24th Amendment Act, 1971
☛ Does the President of India possess a qualified veto like the US President? → No
☛ Can the Governor reserve a State Bill for the President if it endangers the position of the High Court? → Yes, it is mandatory under Article 200