'States have no powers to refuse implementation of Citizenship Act'

No state can refuse to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 as the legislation was enacted under the Union List of the 7th Schedule of the Constitution, says a top official of the home ministry.

New Delhi:As a growing number of state governments refuse to implement the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act on the grounds that it is an attempt by the ruling BJP to strip the country of its secular credentials, the Centre has pointed out they do not have a choice in the matter as the matter of citizenship comes under the union list.

State governments have no powers to reject the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 as the legislation was enacted under the Union List of the 7th Schedule of the Constitution, a top official said on Friday.

The statement came after chief ministers of West Bengal, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh announced that the law is "unconstitutional" and has no place in their respective states.

Read: 5 CMs not to implement CAB in their respective states