No stay on CAA; SC gives 3 weeks to centre to file reply

New Delhi: After hearing the pleas seeking a stay on the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024, the Supreme Court on Tuesday gave three weeks time to Centre to file its reply and listed the matter on April 9.

20 out of 237 petitions were seeking a stay on the CAA rules till the apex court decides the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra pronounced the order after a brief hearing.

Pronouncing the order, CJI said, "On 22.01.2020 notice was issued..the rules have been recently notified. This has given rise to applications for stay. SG submits that 4 weeks time be granted to file response. The request of 4 weeks time is opposed on the ground that in the meantime if citizenship is granted, it will be irreversible."

"We direct the proceedings be listed on April 9, 2024," CJI added.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, refused to make a statement that no citizenship will be granted in the meantime.

With the unveiling of the rules on March 11, days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections, the Modi government kicked off the process of granting Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants -- Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians -- from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

The rules came into force with immediate effect, according to a gazette notification.

The contentious CAA had sparked protests in various parts of the country in late 2019 and early 2020 over alleged discriminatory provisions.

While refusing to stay the operation of the law, the top court had on December 18, 2019 issued notices to the Centre on the pleas.