The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) today moved the Supreme Court against the Indian government's notification inviting non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan residing in 13 districts of five states to apply for Indian citizenship.

Last Friday, the Indian home ministry invited applications from Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Parsi refugees from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, who are now settled in some districts of Gujarat, Chhattisgarh Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab states, for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Act of 1955 as amended in 2009.

The interim application by IUML contended that the Indian government was trying to circumvent the assurance given to the apex court in this regard in the pending petition earlier filed by IUML challenging the constitutional validity of the provisions of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019.

The IUML said the Indian government had provided assurance that staying of the CAA 2019 was not necessary since the rules of the CAA had not been framed.

The CAA 2019 grants Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who migrated to India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh till 2014, following religious "persecution" in those countries.

Today's fresh plea by IUML said the Indian home ministry's notification for immediate implementation of the order under the Citizenship Act 1955 and rules framed under the law in 2009, even though the rules under the CAA 2019 are yet to be framed by the home ministry, is manifestly illegal and runs counter to the provisions of the Act.

IUML submitted that if the Centre's notification is implemented and citizenship is given to persons on the basis of their religion, the act of providing citizenship based on religion would be declared void if the court subsequently strikes down the CAA.

"Then, to take back the citizenship of these persons, granted pursuant to the present order, will be a Herculean task and would be near impossible to implement. In the event the said exercise is conducted, it would render the entire batch of writ petitions (challenging CAA) as infructuous," the plea said.

The IUML petition has sought directions to the Centre to stay any further proceedings pursuant to the May 28 order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs till such time as the plea challenging CAA is pending.