The walkouts of Governors from the inaugural State Legislative Assembly sessions in Opposition-ruled Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala mark a departure from the “limited freewheeling” allowed to them under the Constitution.
Article 176 (1) mandates that Governors, at the commencement of the first session of each year, “shall” address the Legislative Assembly or, in the case of a State having a Legislative Council, both Houses assembled together and inform the Legislature of the causes of its summons.
