National Desk, 19th March: The Supreme Court has served a notice to the Centre, seeking a response to the petitions challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Act Rules announced on March 12, 2024. However, the court refrained from issuing any order to halt their implementation.
Notice Issued by Three-Judge Bench:
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud, issued the notice regarding the petitions against the 2019 Citizenship (Amendment) Act as well. The Centre has until April 2 to respond, with petitioners required to provide their counter-response by April 8. The case is scheduled to be heard on April 9.
Request for Extension and Clarification by Centre:
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, requested a four-week extension to file a response, citing the numerous petitions challenging the Act and the Rules. Mehta clarified that the Act and Rules do not revoke anyone’s citizenship and only pertain to those who entered before 2014.
Court Rejects Requests:
However, the Supreme Court declined Senior Advocate Indira Jaising’s request to halt granting citizenship until a final decision is made. The court also turned down Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal’s plea for liberty to approach the court if such a situation arises in the future.
Case Progression:
The court’s notice signals a significant step in the legal proceedings concerning the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and its associated Rules, with both sides given an opportunity to present their arguments before the court.