Supreme Court Schedules Final Hearing for Petitions Challenging Citizenship Amendment Act
The Supreme Court has scheduled the final hearing for over 250 petitions challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, starting May 5. The Act fast-tracks Indian citizenship for non-Muslim migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered India before 2015. Petitioners argue the law is discriminatory and violates the secular principles of the Constitution. The court will first address general legal challenges before examining specific regional issues, such as the impact on the demography of Assam and Tripura and the exemptions provided to Sixth Schedule tribal areas.
Key Points
- The Supreme Court will begin back-to-back hearings on 250+ CAA petitions from May 5, 2024.
- The CAA 2019 provides citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from three neighboring countries.
- The Act does not apply to tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura included in the Sixth Schedule.
- Petitioners contend that granting citizenship based on religion violates Article 14 of the Constitution.
Exam Facts
- Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.
- Exempted Areas: Sixth Schedule areas and Inner Line Permit (ILP) zones.
- Countries covered: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
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