Country going through difficult times, says SC as it refuses urgent hearing on CAA

Chief Justice of India S A Bobde on Thursday observed that country is going through difficult times and re is so much violence going on as Supreme Court refused urgent hearing on a plea seeking to declare Citizenship Amendment Act as constitutional.

A bench headed by CJI Bobde expressed surprise over petition and said this is first time that someone is seeking that an Act is declared as constitutional.

"re is so much of violence going on. country is going through difficult times and endeavour should be for peace... This court's job is to determine validity of a law and t declare it as unconstitutional," CJI said.

bench also comprising justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant said it will hear petitions challenging validity of CAA when violence stops.

observation came after advocate Vineet Dhanda sought urgent listing of his plea to declare CAA as constitutional and a direction to all states for implementation of Act.

plea has also sought action against activists, students and media houses for "spreading rumours".

On December 18, apex court had agreed to examine constitutional validity of CAA, but refused to stay its operation.

newly amended law seeks to grant citizenship to n-Muslim migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities who came to country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Bobde had fixed a batch of 59 petitions, including those filed by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, for hearing on January 22.

Several petitions have been filed challenging constitutional validity of Act including by RJD leader Maj Jha, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.

Several or petitioners include Muslim body Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, All Assam Students Union (AASU), Peace Party, CPI, NGOs 'Rihai Manch' and Citizens Against Hate, advocate M L Sharma, and law students have also approached apex court challenging Act.