Assent to Bills: Presidential Assent to the Bills - UPSC Polity Notes

Assent to Bills is the process by which the President of India gives approval to a bill that the legislature has passed. Once the legislature has passed a bill, it is sent to the President for assent. The President can then assent to the bill, send it back to the legislature for reconsideration, or veto the bill.

In this article, you’ll learn about assent to bills in India, as well as when the President can refuse to assent to bills. From the perspective of Indian politics, it is important to understand it for the UPSC IAS Exam.

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What is a Bill?

A bill is a draft of a legislative proposal that incorporates administrators’ recommendations for running a government. In its subsequent stages, a bill becomes an act, which is a cornerstone of the Indian constitution. However, before a bill may become law, it must go through a series of steps, including:

• A bill proposal
• Bill is read out loud.
• Examining the issues raised in the bill
• The Indian Constitution’s houses vote in favour of the bill.
• Assent to bill

Study in detail the Triple Talaq Bill here!

Passing of a Bill in India

There are four different sorts of bills that can be introduced in the Indian Parliament, each with a slightly different process for becoming an Act. However, they must pass both Houses and get presidential assent in order to become law. (With the exception of Money bills, all bills must be approved by both Houses.)

Check out the article on Private Member Bill here!

President’s Assent to Bills

Article 111 of the Constitution contains provisions for the President’s assent to bills. It means that when the Houses of Parliament have passed a bill, it will be brought to the President, who will announce whether he assents to the bill or not.

Veto Power of the President

Only the President’s assent is required for a bill enacted by Parliament to become an act. When a bill like this is offered to the President for his assent, he has three options (under Article 111 of the Constitution):

• give his assent to the bill,
• withhold his assent to the bill,
• return the bill to Parliament for reconsideration (assuming it is not a Money Bill).

If the measure is passed by Parliament again, with or without revisions, and delivered to the President, the President is required to give his consent.

Study in detail the Veto Power of the President here!

Assent to Ordinary Bill

• There are three options available to the President in the case of an ordinary bill:
• When he signs the bill, it becomes an act.
• Withhold his assent: the bill will come to an end there and will not become an act.
• Return the measure to the Houses for reconsideration: The Houses may make modifications to the bill or not and then return it to the President, who must then provide his assent.

Check out the Difference between an Ordinary Bill and a Money Bill here!

Assent to Money Bill

A Money Bill may be given or withheld assent by the President. A Money Bill cannot be returned to the House by the President for reconsideration under the Indian Constitution.

Study in detail the Difference between Finance bills and Money bills here!

Assent to Constitutional Amendment Bill

• The President must offer his or her consent to such measures.
• He is unable to refund or withhold the bill (unlike ordinary bills).
• After that, the measure becomes a Constitutional Amendment Act, which amends the Constitution in accordance with its provisions.

Study in detail the Important major Amendments of the Indian Constitution with this linked article!

Making A Law Operational

• The President’s assenting to the Bill is the initial stage.
• The statute then becomes operative as of that certain day. After passing in September 2020, the three farm bills were quickly signed into law by President Kovind.
• Finally, the government creates the guidelines and standards necessary to implement the law in practice.
• When these steps are finished, the law is then put into effect.
• The government should issue guidelines within six months of passing a law, according to the recommendation of the parliament.
• A parliamentary committee has noticed that this suggestion is “being followed in breach by various ministries.”
• In the absence of rules, a complete statute like the 1988 Benami Transactions Act can go unenforced.

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