INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
ANI |
Updated: Jan 22, 2020 10:13 IST
New Delhi [India], Jan 22 (ANI): The Supreme Court will hear around 144 petitions on Wednesday related to the Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA), including petitions challenging the constitutional validity of CAA and transfer petitions filed by the Central
Government.Popular Front of India (PFI) national secretary Anis Ahmed has also filed a PIL in the Apex Court challenging the new
legislation, which trigged protests across several parts of the country.A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde, Justice S Abdul
Nazeer and Justice Sanjiv Khanna will hear the pleas will hear Ahmed's petition with several other pleas against CAA listed for hearing
today.Ahmed, in his petition, challenged not only the CAA but also the amendments made to related legislation, rules and orders
He stated religion has never been a criterion for citizenship."However, as a result of the CAA, only Muslims run the risk of losing
citizenship on account of their religion
The impugned legislation sets the criterion of religion for the purposes of granting or denying citizenship
That is not conducive to the constitutional ideals, such as justice, equality, liberty and fraternity, unity and integrity of the country,"
read the petition.Anis Ahmed stated that the CAA is "wholly destructive, divisive and dangerous to the harmonious living of the citizens of
The PIL also states that "The Articles 2, 3, 7, 15 and 18 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR to which India is a party, mandates
that there shall not be any discrimination on the ground of religion.""Unfortunately, the impugned legislations are wholly unjust,
arbitrary, discriminatory, and unconstitutional and against the international Declarations/Covenants adopted by the United Nations
Organization, wherein India is a member," read a press release by PFI
The PIL also sought to declare Rule 4(1)(ha) of the Passport (Entry into India) Rules 1950, para 3A of the Foreigners Order, 1948 and the
CAA as "unconstitutional and to strike down those legislations"
