Two petitions were filed in the Karnataka High Court seeking the annulment of the recently passed Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) on the ground that it is violative of Article 14 of the Constitution.
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.”
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.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this article had erroneously stated that the petitions have been admitted. The error is regretted.