PIL seeks Kerala HC directive to Centre not to implement CAA

Public interest litigation has been filed in the Kerala High Court by a lawyer which says that the CAA grants favourable treatment to a class of illegal migrants while it excludes Muslims. The petitioner alleged that the impugned Act and the notifications are discriminatory in nature.

Kochi: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Kerala High Court seeking its directive to the Central government not to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA).

The PIL filed by a lawyer said the CAA grants favourable treatment to a class of illegal migrants who were Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Jains, and Buddhists from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan while excluding Muslims from these countries in an allegedly hostile manner.

The petitioner alleged that the impugned Act and the notifications are discriminatory and directed against the Muslims on the basis of their religion and place of birth.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly, before which the PIL came up for hearing on Thursday posted the matter to next week.

The judges then directed the Central government to produce before them any verdict the Supreme Court has pronounced on the pleas challenging the CAA.

Counsel for the government informed the High Court that 60 pleas challenging the CAA have been filed in the apex court.

The High Court observed that even if the matter is admitted for hearing, it would be subjected to the Supreme Court order in the case.