Indian Union Muslim League seeks pause on Citizenship Amendment Act’s implementation

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has taken legal action against the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by approaching the Supreme Court, just a day after the Centre notified the enactment of the law’s rules. Based primarily in Kerala, the IUML contends that the CAA is unconstitutional and discriminates against the Muslim community, calling for a halt to its implementation.

Enacted in 2019, the Citizenship Amendment Act offers citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who are fleeing religious persecution. However, the law excludes Muslims from its purview, which the IUML argues violates the right to equality under Article 14 of the Constitution.

Previously, the IUML had petitioned against the CAA in 2019. At that time, the Centre assured the court that the law would not come into effect until the rules were notified.

The recent petition filed by the IUML requests a suspension of the implementation of the CAA rules until the Supreme Court addresses the 250 pending petitions challenging the law’s constitutional validity. Emphasizing India’s secular character as enshrined in the Constitution’s preamble, the petition underscores the necessity for any law to be neutral with regard to religion.

The Centre’s announcement of the CAA’s implementation elicited mixed reactions across the country. While some communities celebrated the move, protests erupted in regions like Assam, where concerns about large-scale migration have been raised. Critics have accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of timing the implementation strategically ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, with the aim of polarizing voters in states like Assam and West Bengal.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh condemned the timing of the Act’s implementation, alleging that it was orchestrated for electoral gains and social polarization.