Court ruling on the power of Governors to withhold assent to Bills passed by the legislature. It explains the Court's interpretation of Article 200 and emphasizes the core tenet of parliamentary democracy.
Governors in a parliamentary democracy do not have a unilateral veto over Bills passed by the legislature.
The Supreme Court ruled in a case from Punjab that the Governor cannot withhold assent to Bills passed by the State Assembly on the pretext of an illegal session.
The Court's reading of Article 200, which deals with grant of assent to Bills, aligns with the core tenet of parliamentary democracy.
The Governor can either grant assent in the first instance or will be compelled to do so after the Bill's second passage.
The proviso to Article 200 states that the Governor may return the Bill to the House for reconsideration, but he cannot withhold assent after the Bill is passed again.
The Court has reprimanded Governors who delay action on Cabinet or legislative proposals.
The stand taken by Mr. Purohit that the particular session of the Assembly was illegal has been rejected.
The Court has ruled that the earlier session had only been adjourned and not prorogued.
The verdict should put an end to the controversy over the role of Governors in the law-making process.
There is a possibility of controversy if Governors start referring Bills they disapprove of to the President, which should be avoided.
The recent outbreak of influenza-like illness in China and the similarities it has with the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights China's failure to report the cases to the WHO and the need for timely information sharing in global health emergencies. This article is relevant for UPSC preparation as it covers topics related to international relations, governance, and public health.
An outbreak of influenza-like illness has been reported in Beijing, Liaoning, and other places in China since mid-October.
China's National Health Commission failed to report the large number of undiagnosed pneumonia cases among children to the WHO.
The reportage of the clusters and the WHO's awareness of the issue came after a month of the respiratory illnesses spiking.
The WHO had to request China for detailed information on the pneumonia cases in children.
The surge in respiratory illness was driven by known pathogens, including Mycoplasma pneumoniae, RSV, adenovirus, and influenza virus.
The surge in cases occurred earlier in the season than historically experienced, possibly due to the removal of COVID-19 restrictions.
China claims that the increased detection of respiratory illness in children is due to enhanced surveillance for respiratory illnesses.
China reported a surge in Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia cases in October.
China failed to inform the WHO about the unusually high number of cases last month.
The reasons for the current outbreaks were unclear until the WHO requested information.
China is obligated to inform the WHO without being asked.
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