Indian SC refuses to stay citizenship law

India's Supreme Court today declined to stay implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) but agreed to examine its constitutional validity.

A bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justice BR Gavai and Justice Surya Kant fixed the next hearing on January 22, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

It issued a notice to Indian government seeking a reply to all the 59 petitions challenging the amended law that makes it easier for Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who entered India before 2015 to acquire citizenship.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed by the parliament and assented by President Ram Nath Kovind last week turning it into an Act.

The apex court took note of the submission by a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ashwini Upadhyay that there is confusion among citizens about the Citizenship Amendment Act and asked the Attorney General, representing the Indian government, to consider using audio-visual medium to make citizens aware about amended law.