What is Suspended animation?भारत में राष्ट्रपति शासन के संदर्भ में सस्पेंडेड एनीमेशन क्या है?

Why in news ? The Manipur assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, was recently  put under suspended animation.

About Suspended animation:

  Suspended animation in the context of President’s Rule in India refers to a situation where the State Legislative Assembly is not dissolved but is instead put into a state of suspension during the imposition of President’s Rule under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution.

Key Features:

1. State Assembly not dissolved: In suspended animation, the State Legislative Assembly remains intact but does not function. It is temporarily rendered non-operational.

2. Reserves the option of revival: This approach allows the assembly to be revived later if the central government decides to lift President’s Rule without holding fresh elections.

3. Role of Governor: During suspended animation, the Governor of the state exercises the powers of the executive under the direction of the President.

4. Administrative authority: The central government, through the Governor, assumes control over the state’s administration.

Why use suspended animation?

1. To avoid immediate dissolution: If the assembly is dissolved, fresh elections would be mandatory. Suspended animation provides flexibility to assess the political situation before making a final decision.

2. Allows political resolution: If the crisis causing the President’s Rule is resolved (e.g., a coalition is formed), the assembly can be reinstated without elections.

3. Judicial oversight: Courts have recommended suspended animation as a cautious approach to avoid arbitrary dissolution of assemblies.

Example:

A notable case of suspended animation occurred in Arunachal Pradesh (2016), where the Supreme Court later ruled that the imposition of President’s Rule was unconstitutional, emphasizing the need for caution before dissolving a State Assembly.