Supreme Court of India Refuses to Stay CAA is not suspended in India

Chief Justice India DY Chandrachud

The Supreme Court of India refuses to stay the implementation of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India.

However, the BJP led central government has been ordered to respond to a bunch of cases that have been filed seeking to suspend the law. The government has been given three weeks for that. 

The plea was filed by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and others that sought protection for Muslims under the Act. The petitions were heard on Tuesday by a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.The next hearing of this case is on April 9.

Just weeks before the general election/Lok Sabha election, on March 11 the Narendra Modi's government announced the implementation of the rules for the controversial law. 

That is, from that day, CAA was officially launched across the country. In the meantime, more than two hundred cases were filed against it in the Supreme Court. The validity of this law has been challenged in those cases.

Petitioners urged the highest court to stay the enforcement of the law till the disposal of the case.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra dismissed the plea but directed the government to make sure accountability in implementing the law. 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought time for accountability in the court. He said, this law does not say to take away the citizenship of anyone.

The Indian Union Muslim League is among the litigants challenging the validity of the CAA and seeking a stay on the law. Total cases have been 237. 

Among them are Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Trinamool leader Mahua Maitra and All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimieen (AIMIM) leader and Member of Parliament Asaduddin Waisi. 

They complain that this law is creating discrimination among citizens on the basis of religion. So it is against the constitution.