The Supreme Court is set to commence hearings on Tuesday for a series of petitions, numbering over 200, related to the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) and the Citizenship Amendment Rules 2024. These petitions collectively seek a stay on the implementation of both the CAA and its accompanying rules.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, alongside Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, will preside over the hearings.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the Kerala-based Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), recently brought attention to a plea filed before the Supreme Court. Sibal expressed concerns regarding the Centre’s decision to proceed with the implementation of the controversial law, particularly with the Lok Sabha elections looming on the horizon.

The petitioners challenging the law argue that the CAA unfairly discriminates against Muslims solely based on their religion. They contend that such religious-based discrimination lacks reasonable justification and violates the right to equality enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution.

Among the array of petitioners are prominent political figures such as Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia. Additionally, several NGOs and student organizations, including Rihai Manch, Citizens Against Hate, Assam Advocates Association, and various law students, have joined the legal battle against the CAA.

Notably, the IUML, Debabrata Saikia, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, Democratic Youth Federation of India, and the Social Democratic Party of India have contested the CAA Rules, 2024, which facilitated the implementation of the CAA.

Kerala, pioneering the legal challenge against the CAA since 2020, has highlighted constitutional concerns, particularly regarding the Right to Equality. Furthermore, Kerala has filed additional cases challenging the CAA rules.

Asaduddin Owaisi, in his plea to the Supreme Court, emphasized the discriminatory nature of the CAA, warning against its potential to isolate minority communities and target Muslims, particularly in the context of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Throughout the legal proceedings, the Central government has maintained its stance, asserting that the CAA does not infringe upon the democratic, legal, or secular rights of citizens. However, the petitions challenging its validity have persisted.

The implementation of the CAA by the Central government on March 11, five years after its passage in Parliament in December 2019, sparked nationwide protests and scrutiny. The Act amends the Citizenship Act of 1955, offering expedited citizenship pathways to migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan belonging to specific religious communities, who entered India before December 31, 2014, citing religious persecution in their home countries.