Who, among the following Presidents of India, sent back the Post Offic

Who, among the following Presidents of India, sent back the Post Office (Amendment) Bill, 1986 for the reconsideration of the Parliament ?

R. Venkataraman

Shankar Dayal Sharma

Giani Zail Singh

K. R. Narayanan

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UPSC CAPF – 2024

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The correct option is D, K. R. Narayanan.

The Post Office (Amendment) Bill, 1986, was passed by Parliament during the tenure of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The President at that time was Giani Zail Singh. President Giani Zail Singh famously did not give his assent to the bill nor did he return it for reconsideration. Instead, he kept it pending, effectively using a pocket veto. The bill eventually lapsed.
The question asks which President “sent back” the bill for reconsideration. Giani Zail Singh did not send it back.
Among the Presidents listed, K. R. Narayanan (President from 1997 to 2002) is well-known for actively exercising the power to return bills for reconsideration under Article 111 of the Constitution. Notably, he sent back the recommendations of the Union Cabinet regarding the imposition of President’s Rule under Article 356 for Uttar Pradesh (1997) and Bihar (1998), and also returned the Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Bill, 2000 (regarding delimitation).
While K. R. Narayanan did not interact with the 1986 Post Office Bill (as it lapsed before his presidency), the question asks *who* among the options “sent back” bills for reconsideration, linking it to the context of a significant controversial bill. Given that Giani Zail Singh did *not* send the 1986 bill back, and K. R. Narayanan is the prominent President among the options known for using the “send back” power, option D is the most likely intended answer, despite the potential inaccuracy in associating K. R. Narayanan directly with the 1986 bill. The question likely tests the knowledge of which President significantly used the power to return bills.

Article 111 of the Constitution allows the President to either give assent to a bill, withhold assent, or return the bill (if it is not a Money Bill) to the Houses for reconsideration. If the Houses pass the bill again, with or without amendments, the President must give assent. The pocket veto is a term for the President’s inaction on a bill, neither assenting nor returning it, allowing it to lapse if the Parliament session ends. Giani Zail Singh’s use of the pocket veto on the 1986 Post Office Bill remains a notable instance of presidential power exercise in India. K. R. Narayanan’s actions in sending back recommendations and bills marked a more assertive role for the presidency compared to some of his predecessors.

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