Governor is a symbolic head, has no powers on most matters: P. Chidambaram 

The former Union Home Minister, in a tweet, said that when a Governor withholds assent to a Bill for no valid reason, this signified that Parliamentary democracy was dead; he was reacting to T.N. Governor R.N. Ravi’s statement on Thursday where he said if a Governor withholds assent to a Bill passed by the Assembly, it meant the Bill was dead

Former Union Home Minister and veteran Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Friday said that by transgressing their powers, BJP-appointed Governors were trampling upon democracy in the country.

Reacting to Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi’s argument that a Bill that was withheld was dead, he said the Governor had given a strange and peculiar definition to the withholding of assent to Bills passed by the State Legislature. “Actually, when a Governor withholds assent for no valid reason, it means ‘Parliamentary Democracy is dead’,” he tweeted.

Mr. Chidambaram explained that the Governor was bound to grant assent or withhold assent or return the Bill. “If the Bill is passed again, the Governor is obliged to grant assent,” he further said.

Mr. Chidambaram also said the Governor was a mere Constitutional functionary. “He is the symbolic head. His powers are severely restricted. He has no powers in most matters. A Governor is bound to act on the aid and advice of the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers,” he said.