93 state laws await presidential nod

Ninety-three laws passed by  state legislatures are pending with the Central government for approval, with Maharashtra topping the list with 13 measures awaiting Presidential assent.

The Union Home Ministry has prepared a list of state legislations “reserved for consideration of the President of India under article 201 of the Constitution” as on February 28.

Tamil Nadu has nine pending legislations followed by Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka with eight pending laws each. The legislation from Karnataka include the Factories (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2011 (for increasing the working hours), the Karnataka Maritime Board Bill, 2011, and the Karnataka Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill, 2011.

As per Article 200 and 201 of the Constitution, the state laws have to get the assent of the President if the governor reserves the Bill for his consideration. The Governor can reserve for the consideration of the President any Bill, which in his/her opinion would go against the spirit of the Constitution if enacted into law.

One of the eight Karnataka laws pending with the Centre is the Karnataka State Innovative Universities Bill, 2011, against which Governor H R Bhardwaj had expressed unhappiness. The Bill was passed by the Karnataka Assembly when B S Yeddyurappa was the chief minister.

Bhardwaj was opposed to the method of appointment of vice-chancellors in the proposed innovative universities and sent the Bill to the President for consideration. The Bill aims to set up several such varsities and the University of Mysore was among those identified for the purpose.

Another pending legislation is the Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2009, which is aimed to check unauthorised occupation of government premises by government employees.