On 18 December 2019, around 59 petitions challenging CAA came to be heard for the first time before the Supreme Court of India. The petitions were listed before bench comprising the Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, and Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant.
The key counsel appearing for the petitioners were senior counsel Kapil Sibal, Indira Jaising, Jayan Bhushan, Sidharth Luthra, Raju Ramchandran, Abhsihek Manu Singhvi, Salman Khurshid, R Basant, Sanjay Hegde, Maneka Guruswamy, Rajeev Dhawa, Shyam Divan (in order of court order). Union of India was represented by the Attorney General for India K K Venugopal, along with Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General KM Natraj.
SC issued notice to the Respondents in all the petitions. The court, however, refused to grant the request for “stay”. AG Venugopal opposed the prayer for stay stating that neither had any date been notified for the law to take effect nor had any rules been framed. Senior counsel Rajiv Dhawan stated that there was no need for a stay since the law hadn’t come into effect.
Court directed that the petitions be listed for hearing on 22 January 2020.
