India's Supreme Court Hears Petitions Challenging Citizenship Law Bill - Reports

India's Supreme Court Hears Petitions Challenging Citizenship Law Bill - Reports

India's Supreme Court on Wednesday began hearing petitions against the amendment to the Citizenship law which sparked nationwide protests last month, media reported

NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd January, 2020) India's Supreme Court on Wednesday began hearing petitions against the amendment to the Citizenship law which sparked nationwide protests last month, media reported.

The panel made up of three Supreme Court judges has registered as many as 144 petitions, most of them challenging the amendment's lawfulness while some seek a declaration that the act is constitutional, Hindustan Times reported.

India's parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Act last December seeking to streamline obtaining Indian citizenship for illegal immigrants of persecuted non-Muslim minorities from neighboring countries. The bill, however, sparked protests across India for allegedly discriminating against Muslims, who form a 200-million-strong minority in the secular country. At least 30 people are reported to have died in the unrest.