IUML ropes in Congress' Kapil Sibal to challenge the CAB in the Supreme Court on Thursday

A day after the parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the Indian Union Muslim League on Thursday will move the Supreme Court against the bill. Sources say that the Muslim league will demand that the bill be scrapped as it termed it to be 'unconstitutional', violating Article 14 of the Constitution. Apart from the Muslim League, Opposition leaders like Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi have stated 'I have no doubt that it deserves to be challenged'. Sources further report that senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal will represent the league in the Supreme Court.

IUML to oppose CAB in SC

MASSIVE: Two days after Lok Sabha's nod, Rajya Sabha passes Citizenship Amendment Bill

Rajya Sabha passes CAB

On Wednesday, the Rajya Sabha passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 (CAB) by a majority of 125-105 votes. This comes after more than 40 MPs including P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Derek O'Brien, Sanjay Singh, Sanjay Raut, and Vaiko put forth their arguments either in favour or against the CAB. Earlier on Monday, the Lower House of Parliament cleared the legislation with a landslide margin. Once the President gives his assent to the Bill, it will immediately come into operation.  

Read: Shiv Sena's Flip-flop On CAB Due To Threat From Congress; 'Cabinet Berth Not Imp': Sources 

What is the CAB?

The Citizenship Amendment Bill amends the Citizenship Act 1955 to make refugees who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship. It also relaxes the terms of naturalised citizenship, from the original 14 years to six years. Moreover, the BIll exempts exempt the inner line permit areas in Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh and areas falling under the Sixth Schedule in the region. This will be applicable to the members of these communities having arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014.

JDU rift over CAB explodes: Prashant Kishor reminds CM Nitish Kumar of 'victory of 2015'

Opposition to the Bill

Protests against the bill have been rampant across the North-East especially in Assam. Tens of thousands of protesters against CAB descended on the streets of Assam on Wednesday, clashing with police, with a large number of protestors detained by the police in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, etc. Reports state that five columns of Army have been deployed at several places in the state and in Tripura, while the Assam government has imposed curfew and discontinued mobile internet and data services for 24 hours across 10 districts.

Amit Shah in RS after tabling CAB: 20% decline in religious minorities in Pak, Ban