Jairam Ramesh challenges Citizenship Act in SC; hearing on Wednesday

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has challenged the Citizenship Amendment Act in the Supreme Court and his plea will be heard on Wednesday.

Ramesh has challenged the new law in his personal capacity. He had filed the petition on December 13.

"Given the urgent situation that has developed around the rushed and insidious Citizenship Amendment Act, I approached the Hon'ble Supreme Court to hear my matter urgently.

"The Hon'ble judges have agreed to list my challenge to the same on Wednesday i.e. day after tomorrow," Ramesh said on Twitter.

In his petition, Ramesh has prayed that the court pass appropriate order declaring and quashing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as "unconstitutional, null and void and ultra vires Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India and hence void ab initio".

He also demanded that the court passes appropriate direction declaring that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act ultra vires the Assam Accord of 1985 and the Constitution of India.

Ramesh also sought orders declaring that that the act violates the international law and obligation approved and agreed by India under international covenants.

He said he is constrained to move the instant public interest litigation under Article 32 of the Constitution challenging the patently unconstitutional amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955 being the Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019.

"The impugned Act is a brazen attack on the core fundamental rights envisaged under the Constitution. The impugned enactment ex facie violates the fundamental guarantees under Article 14 as also Article 21 of the Constitution.

"The Act has been enacted disregarding the report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee of January 7, 2019 as also the terms of the Accord between AASU, AAGSP and the Central Government on the Foreign National Issue signed on 15.08.1985 (Assam Accord)," he said.