SC issues notice to Union on petitions to stay Implementation of the CAA and the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024, and posts the matter on April 09

In a recent development in the matter related to the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024, the Supreme Court (SC) on March 19, 2024, refused to stay the implementation of CAA. It further issued notice to the Union Government on a batch of petitions seeking to stay the CAA and Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024. The bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra sought a response from the Union government and posted the matter for hearing on April 09, 2024. The hearing was adjourned yesterday (March 19) after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta requested the same and sought time to respond to the petitions and applications. It said, “There are 237 petitions. 20 applications have been filed for stay. I need to file a reply. I was seeking time. I need time to collate etc. The Act does not take away anyone’s citizenship. There is no prejudice caused to the petitioners.” SG Mehta requested a time of four weeks to file a response which was objected to by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal appearing of the Indian Union Muslim League. SA Sibal said, “If the process of citizenship starts, it cannot be reversed, If they have waited till now, they can wait till July or whenever this court decides the matter. There is no great urgency.” After hearing the contentions, the SC bench gave three weeks to the Union government and posted the matter for hearing on April 09, 2024.