New Delhi, Oct 31 (UNI) Supreme Court on Monday fixed for hearing on December 06, more than 200 petitions challenging the validity of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The Supreme Court's bench, headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Uday Umesh Lalit, said, "the counsel for Assam and Tripura shall file reply within 3 weeks. Nodal counsel shall then comply it within 2 weeks thereafter. List these matters before appropriate court in December 6, 2022."
The Top Court asked Tripura and Assam governments to file responses within three weeks. It also appoints nodal lawyers for making convenience compilations.
The Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, senior law officer representing the Central government, told the Supreme Court today that the Union Of India (UOI) has filed its response. 50 matters concern Assam and 3 for Tripura. Regarding Assam and Tripura, I need to file my reply.
"In keeping with the directions issued by this court, these matters are listed today. At the outset, the SG has submitted that he may be given additional time to comply with directions issued by this court," the CJI said, and fixed the matter for further hearing to December 06.
The Apex Court also said that, while quoting the SG Mehta, that he further submitted that the responses by State of Assam and Tripura have not been filed and accommodation be granted on that. Having noted that there are various matters projecting multiple issues. Thereby we will hear the matter on December 06, the Supreme Court said.
"We have been appraised that the petition filed by IUML have been complete. The petition has been filed by Advocate Pallavi Pratap. We therefore appoint her and another lawyer, Kanu Agarawal as nodal counsel in the case," the CJI Lalit said.
Yesterday, the Central government, in its fresh affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, said that the CAA introduced in 2019 does not affect the legal, democratic or secular rights of any of the Indian citizens and it is a benign legislation.
The CAA, which was passed on December 12, 2019, amends Section 2 of the Citizenship Act of 1955 which defines “illegal migrants”.
The CAA specifically excluded the Muslim community from the proviso, triggering protests across the country and a slew of petitions were filed in the Supreme Court.
The petitioners had challenged, before the Supreme Court, that the law have submitted that the CAA discriminates against Muslims on the basis of religion. Such religious segregation is without any reasonable differentiation and violates right to quality under Article 14, of the Indian Constitution.
UNI SM GNK