The correct option is The President must give assent to the bill and cannot send it back for reconsideration..
Explanation
The procedure for the amendment of the Constitution is laid down in Article 368. The powers of the President regarding Constitutional Amendment Bills differ significantly from those applicable to ordinary or money bills, specifically concerning veto powers.Detailed Analysis:
- Mandatory Assent: The 24th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1971 amended Article 368(2) to explicitly provide that when a Constitutional Amendment Bill is presented to the President after being passed by both Houses of Parliament, he "shall give his assent" to the bill.
- Absence of Veto Powers: Due to this specific constitutional mandate, the President has no discretion in the matter. He cannot withhold his assent (Absolute Veto) and cannot return the bill for reconsideration (Suspensive Veto).
- Comparison with Ordinary Bills: For ordinary bills, the President may return the bill for reconsideration once. However, this provision does not apply to Constitutional Amendment Bills.
Key Takeaway:
The 24th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1971 made it constitutionally obligatory for the President to give assent to a Constitutional Amendment Bill, denying the power to withhold assent or return the bill.