“AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi Moves SC Against CAA Implementation: Legal Battle Intensifies”
All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has taken a significant legal step by filing a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to halt the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019. According to reports from ANI, Owaisi’s petition aims to prevent the processing of applications for citizenship status under Section 6B of the Citizenship Act, 1955, which was amended by the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019.
The CAA, passed by Parliament in December 2019, has been a contentious issue since its inception. It seeks to expedite citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014, on the grounds of religious persecution.
In his plea to the Supreme Court, Owaisi contends that the government should not entertain or process any citizenship applications under the amended Section 6B during the ongoing legal proceedings. This move by Owaisi comes amidst a slew of petitions challenging various provisions of the CAA, with over two hundred connected petitions filed in the apex court since 2019.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear these petitions on March 19, which underscores the significance of Owaisi’s legal maneuver. The notification of the CAA has faced criticism from opposition leaders, who argue that the rules issued by the Union government earlier this week are unconstitutional, discriminatory, and violate the secular principle of citizenship enshrined in the Constitution.
Owaisi has been vocal in his opposition to the CAA, labeling it as unconstitutional and against the Right to Equality guaranteed by the Constitution. He emphasizes that laws cannot be based on religion and cites several Supreme Court judgments supporting his stance.
As the legal battle over the CAA intensifies, Owaisi’s petition adds another layer to the ongoing debate surrounding the controversial legislation. With the Supreme Court poised to deliberate on the matter, the outcome of these legal proceedings will have far-reaching implications for the future of citizenship laws in India.