A batch of petitions challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, will be heard by the Supreme Court on December 6, and two nodal counsels have been appointed to compile all relevant documents.
Additionally, the apex court requested the Assam and Tripura state governments to file responses within two weeks in matters specifically related to them.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit, comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Bela M Trivedi, was hearing the petitions filed by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and others challenging the validity of the CAA.
To compile all relevant documents, the bench appointed Advocate Pallavi Pratap (advocate for petitioner Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)) and Advocate Kanu Agrawal (Central government counsel) as nodal counsel. “Having noted that there are several pleas projecting multiple views, the dispute can be resolved if two or three matters are taken as lead matters, and convenience compilations of all counsels are prepared well in advance. As a result, the bench noted that proceedings would be more convenient.
Supreme Court posts petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 for hearing on December 6. @IndianExpress
— Ananthakrishnan G (@axidentaljourno) October 31, 2022
Additionally, the top court requested that the nodal counsel share the compilation with all other lawyers involved in the case and designate one or two other matters as lead matters based on their geographical or religious classification.
According to the Union government, the CAA is a “narrow” piece of legislation that does not interfere with the existing regime for obtaining Indian citizenship. Legal migration from all countries continues to be permitted with valid documents and visas.
According to the government’s affidavit, the Act “does not in any way encourage illegal migration into Assam” and has been characterized as an “unfounded fear”.
– with input from the Bar and Bench
