All-party meeting held ahead of winter session of Parliament
The meeting was aimed at ensuring smooth functioning of the upcoming session in the wake of the government seeking cooperation from the Opposition.
After facing vehement condemnation from opposition parties for passing the Citizenship Amendment Bill which received President’s assent on late Thursday night, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Friday moved the Supreme Court against the Act.
Moitra’s move comes after Indian Union Muslim League challenged the Act in the apex court over its constitutional validity on Thursday. Another Muslim organisation, Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind whose president, Maulana Arshad Madani terming the passing of the Bill in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha a “tragedy” said the Bill is against the basic structure of the Indian Constitution and the Jamiat will challenge it in the top court. Madani said the Jamiat will challenge it in the court because the legislature has not done its job honestly. “Now the judiciary can make a better decision on it. Advocates have been consulted in this regard and a petition is being drafted,” he said in a statement.
Moitra’s matter was mentioned before Bench led by CJI SA Bobde and comprising Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant this morning. However, the Court refused to grant urgent hearing to the matter after CJI Bobde directed Moitra’s Counsel to mention the matter before the Supreme Court’s mentioning Registrar.
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According to Bar and Bench, the Indian Union of Muslim League, along with four other Members of Parliament, i.e. PK Kunhalikutty (Lok Sabha MP representing Kerala), ET Mohammed Basheer (Lok Sabha MP representing Kerala), Abdul Wahab (Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala) and K Navas Kani (Lok Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu) have also challenged the act as unconstitutional on grounds that it violates the Right to Equality under Article 14 of the Constitution.
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