SC refuses to stay operation of Citizenship Amendment Act

The Supreme Court has decided to examine the constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, CAA.

However, the Court refused to stay its operation as sought by some lawyers appearing for petitioners.

Attorney General KK Venugopal, representing the Centre, opposed the petitioners' submission. He said there are as many as four judgements which have held that a law cannot be stayed after being notified.

Hearing a batch of pleas challenging the CAA, the top court yesterday



issued a notice to the Centre and sought its response by the second week of January next year.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India S A Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant fixed 59 petitions, including those filed by the Indian Union Muslim League and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, for hearing on the 22nd of January.

The bench also agreed to the submission of a lawyer that common people should be made aware of the aim, objects and the contents of the CAA.