New Delhi, Sep 12 : The Supreme Court on Monday sought an answer to the Centre on new petitions challenging the legality of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and suggested it could consider referring the case, of over 200 petitions against the law to a three-judge bench.A bench comprised of Chief Justice U.U.Lalit and comprised of Justice S.Ravindra Bhat and Justice S.Ravindra Bhat, instructed the Centre to file a response to the petitions that challenge the CAA and also instructed the Assam and Tripura government to file a response to petitions that have a state-specific concerns in relation with the CAA.
The Supreme Court indicated that it might refer the case to a three-judge bench , and set the hearing for October 31.
Counsel, representing petitioners from all over the world suggested that the court make an appointment to hear the case.They also stressed the need for segregation because there are two different sets of issues.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre was in agreement with the idea.
In order to speed up hearings on more than 200 petitions, the highest court decided that petitions had to be placed in distinct compartments in order that the submissions could be quickly moved and restricted to the problems that arise in the context of these segments.
The Office of the SG would make a comprehensive list of the issues relating to these challenges.
They will be placed in different categories based on the challenges presented in the petitions.It also stated that the Centre will submit appropriate responses with regards to the segments of challenges.
The exercise should be completed in the span of four weeks.
The supreme court also issued notices in all new petitions filed against CAA which gives citizenship to non-Muslims who were from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan prior to or on December 31, 2014.
In December of 2019 the apex court refused to stop the operation of the law.It also issued a notice to Centre on petitions against the Act.It then sought a an answer from the Centre in January 2020, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the case was not able to be considered for a regular hearing before the court.
The former President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, on December 12, 2019, making it an Act.The petitions claimed that the Bill was in violation of the fundamental design of the Constitution.
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is one of the petitioners against the Act stated that the it violates the fundamental Right to Equality is violated by the Act and that it will allow citizenship to a segment of illegal immigrants through an exclusion due to religion.
The petition submitted by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh argued the Act is an “brazen assault” on the fundamental rights envisioned by the Constitution.
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