SC to hear pleas challenging constitutional validity of CAA on Oct 31

The Supreme Court said on Monday it will hear on October 31 a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) which seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants fleeing religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

A bench comprising Chief Justice U U Lalit and Justice S R Bhat noted the matter will be referred to a three-judge bench.

The 2019 amended law, which seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, and Parsi communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan has come in for stinging criticism by opposition parties, leaders and other entities over exclusion of Muslims.

During the hearing on Monday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that several issues have been raised in the petitions filed before the top court.

"Our reply is filed so far as some ...