In a significant move, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), demanding an immediate stay on its implementation. The petition, submitted by the IUML, argues that the provisions of the CAA 2019 violate the fundamental structure of the Indian Constitution by offering citizenship based on religious criteria.
The CAA, which was notified by the Central Government on Monday, has been the subject of intense debate and controversy. It aims to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. This includes Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians. However, the exclusion of Muslims from this list has led to widespread allegations of discrimination and bias, sparking protests across the nation.
The IUML’s petition in the Supreme Court seeks to challenge the constitutional validity of the CAA, arguing that a law cannot be deemed constitutional until proven otherwise. The league has also filed an interim application within their writ petition, underscoring their argument against the arbitrary nature of the CAA.