The President's power to give assent to, withhold assent from, or return bills passed by Parliament is dealt with in:

Article 111 deals with assent to bills, and therefore with the President's veto powers over bills passed by Parliament.

Options available to the President under Article 111:

• He may give his assent to the bill, after which it becomes an Act.
• He may withhold his assent, after which the bill does not become law.
• He may return the bill, if it is not a Money Bill, for reconsideration by the Houses, with a message suggesting changes.

What happens on return:

• If the Houses pass the bill again, with or without amendments, and present it to the President, he must give his assent.
• So the power to return a bill only delays it.

Money Bills:

• The President cannot return a Money Bill for reconsideration, because it is introduced only on his recommendation.
• He can give or withhold assent, but in practice he gives assent.

Constitution Amendment Bills:

The President must give assent to a Constitution Amendment Bill passed in accordance with Article 368, as provided by the 24th Amendment.

No time limit:

• Article 111 does not fix any time limit for the President to act on an ordinary bill.
• This has allowed Presidents to keep some bills pending indefinitely.

Examples of use:

In 2006, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam returned the Office of Profit Bill to Parliament for reconsideration. When Parliament passed it again, he gave his assent.

Nature of the veto power:

• The President uses these powers on the advice of the Council of Ministers in most cases.
• Veto powers act as a check against hasty or unconstitutional legislation.

State bills:

Bills passed by state legislatures and reserved by the Governor are dealt with under Article 201.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Article 72 deals with the power to grant pardons.
• ✗Article 123 deals with the power to issue ordinances.
• ✗Article 143 deals with the power to consult the Supreme Court.