CAA Validity Case: SC Seeks Centre’s Response, Next Hearing on Oct 31

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought detailed responses from the Central government in a bunch of pleas challenging the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The top court said it will hear the matter on October 31. 

A bench comprising Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and Justice SR Bhat noted that once the issues are identified and petitions are segregated, then it will consider and decide as to whether the matter will be referred to a three-judge bench or not.

"The Union of India (UOI) shall file appropriate responses with respect to segments of challenges. Let the needful be done in 4 weeks from today," the two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by the CJI UU Lalit, said.

During the hearing on Monday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that several issues have been raised in the petitions filed before the top court. He requested the court to give him some time for preparation in the case. 

''Our reply is filed so far as some amendments and challenge is concerned. In some of the matters, our reply is yet to be filed,'' Mehta said.

It is worth mentioning that around 200 number of petitions were filed in the court to challenge the constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) which seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants fleeing religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. 

The CAA, which passed in 2019, was criticised harshly by opposition parties, leaders and other entities over exclusion of Muslims. The amended law seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, and Parsi communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

One of the petitioners in the case, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has said the Act violates the fundamental Right to Equality and therefore sought an interim stay on the operation of the law.

One of the pleas filed by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has said the Act is a ''brazen attack'' on core fundamental rights envisaged under the Constitution and treats ''equals as unequal''.

Also Read: Gyanvapi Mosque Case: Varanasi Court Upholds Hindu Women’s Plea for Worship 

RJD leader Manoj Jha, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi were also among the petitioners who have challenged the constitutional validity of the amended law in the court of law. 

(With inputs from agencies)