Karnataka HC to hear plea seeking striking down of Citizenship Amendment Act

Law

The petition comes at a time when several cities and towns of India have been witnessing widespread protests against CAA.

TNM Staff

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The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday said that it will hear a plea seeking the annulment of the recently passed Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) on the ground that it is violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. The petition has been filed by one P Basavaraj.  Article 14 of the Constitution guarantees equality before the law for all. It reads, “The State (the country) shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India. Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.” The first bench of the High Court led by Chief Justice AS Oka said it might even strike down the law if it’s established that it’s unconstitutional. This development comes even as the Supreme Court is hearing a batch of 59 petitions challenging the legality of this law. On December 11, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha after a day it was passed in the Lok Sabha. The CAA works as a fast track citizenship application mode for minorities (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians) in three Muslim-majority neighbouring countries— Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who are living in India since 2014 or before. This comes at a time when all major cities, towns of India has seen widespread protests against the contentious law over more than a month. Till date, at least 21 people have been killed in police firing and violence related to the protests against CAA and the possible implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Two out of the 21 killed in police firing were from Mangaluru.  The Kerala Assembly has passed a resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) deeming it "illegal and unconstitutional”.   “The Act contradicts the basic values and principles of the Constitution. In view of the anxiety among the people of the country, the Centre should take steps to drop the CAA and uphold the secular outlook of the Constitution,” Kerala CM Pinaarayi Vijayan had said in the state Assembly while moving the motion.

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