Jaipur, India - Raj Bhavan sources said here on Monday that the controversial Rajasthan Religious Freedom Bill, sent back last week by Governor Pratibha Patil, was "reserved for the consideration of the President."
Though Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria, Law Minister Ghanshyam Tiwari and Cooperatives Minister Madan Dilawar have spoken about sending the Bill back to the Governor, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has refrained from commenting on the issue.
Ms. Patil is now away in Maharashtra, and there has not been any official communication from the Raj Bhavan on the Bill.
"The situation is very clear. The Government has no other option but to refer the Bill to the President," human rights lawyer Prem Krishna Sharma said.
The Governor had three options under Article 200: give assent to the Bill, send it back for consideration or reserve it for the consideration of the President, Mr. Sharma said.
"There is no scope for prevarication. The State Government is only stretching its powers by making consultations and giving out the impression that it has options. This only exposes its mala fide intentions on the issue," Kavita Srivastava, PUCL State general secretary, said.
Constitutional experts Rajeev Dhawan and Aparna Ray said: "In view of the grave concerns over the constitutional validity of the Bill, the Governor was right to reserve the Bill for the consideration of the President and keeping in mind the same factors, it would be appropriate for the President to withhold assent."