New Delhi, Jan 14: The Kerala government has challenged the new Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) before the Supreme Court, becoming the first state to do so amid nationwide protests against the religion-based citizenship law. The Supreme Court is already hearing over 60 petitions against the law.
Kerala's Left-led government in its petition calls the CAA a violation of several articles of the constitution including the right to equality and says the law goes against the basic principle of secularism in the constitution.
The Kerala government has also challenged the validity of changes made in 2015 to the Passport law and the Foreigners (Amendment) Order, regularising the stay of non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who had entered India before 2015.
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), eases the path for non-Muslims in the neighbouring Muslim-majority nations of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to become Indian citizens. Critics fear that the CAA, along with a proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), will discriminate against Muslims.
The Kerala petition says the CAA violates Articles 14, 21 and 25 of the constitution.
While Article 14 is about the right to equality, Article 21 says "no person will be deprived of life or personal liberty except according to a procedure established by law". Under Article 25, "all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience."
Several non-BJP governments have refused to carry out the NRC in an attempt to stave off the enforcement of the citizenship law.
Over 60 writ petitions have been filed in Supreme Court so far against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Various political parties, NGOs and also MPs have challenged the law.
The Supreme Court will hear the petitions on January 22.
During the last hearing, petitioners didn't ask that the law be put on hold as the CAA was not in force. The Act has, however, come into force from January 10 through a home ministry notification.
Comments
"If you cant Convince them, then confuse them."
This is what these Yogi, Yedyurappa and Shoba doing nowadays. they cant convince people on their good works to society so plan B is to confuse the people by shouting day and night blaming and hate speech. I wish the public understood these peoples dirty minds and thrown them to a planet where they can find their match. And never to return so we can live a happy life.
Ms Shoba,
You want to be remineded that how our PM had not only misused but also made fun of government machinaries during gujarat election rallies. Do you have a little shame on talking on this issue.
This HARAKU BAI Shobakka a perfect ally of KOLAKU BAI Eiswarappa, ready to set Karnataka on Fire for Chair. What a dirty politics!!
The cow always looking another cows -------- and laugh i/o of covering own ----- . This lady with same policy
no interest about development and good governance only stick with her nagpur HQ command for communal clash.
SHOBAKKA WHAT ABOUT THE FEKU'S INTERNATIONAL TOUR MONEY
Dear Sobakka,Reimburse money spent on PARIVARTAN YATRA and Feku's rallies.
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