Petitions challenging validity of CAA to be heard after Sabarimala reference case, CJI SA Bobde

The Supreme Court today hinted that the batch of petitions challenging the validity of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be heard soon after the conclusion of the hearing in the Sabarimala reference case..Senior Counsel Kapil Sibal mentioned the CAA petitions before the Bench of Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant today. He said that the case needs to be listed at an early date, lest it is rendered infructuous..At this point, Attorney General KK Venugopal told the Court that the Centre's reply in the matter will be filed within two days. The Court then said that it will hear the CAA matter "after Sabarimala"..Sibal, however, informed the Court that some interim orders are required in the case and a hearing of two hours may be required for the same. The Court said that it would consider the same, and granted liberty to Sibal to mention the matter again after the Holi break..On January 22, while hearing a batch of over 140 petitions challenging the CAA, the Supreme Court hinted that it may refer the matter to a Constitution Bench. .Citizenship Amendment Act 2019: Supreme Court hints that matter may be heard by Constitution Bench, no order on stay.On that date, the Court granted a period of four weeks to the Centre to file its counter in all the petitions filed in the matter. The Court, however, passed no orders on stay of the implementation of the Act or any of the exercises it stipulates..Taking note of the multitude of petitions in the matter, the Court said that the list of all the categories under which the Act is challenged needs to be prepared. The Court conferred the responsibility for the same upon Senior Counsel Kapil Sibal.