UN body moves Indian Supreme Court against contentious citizenship law

[Taimoor Khan]

https://www.dawn.com/news/1538093


UN body moves Indian Supreme Court against contentious citizenship law
Dawn.comUpdated March 03, 2020

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Michelle Bachelet. — AFP/File







United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Michelle Bachelet has filed an intervention application in the Indian Supreme Court against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Indian Ministry for External Affairs said on Tuesday.


The petition by the United Nations came amid ongoing protests in India against the CAA — which was enacted in December last year. The protests took a turn for the worst last week in Delhi, where over 40 people were killed in communal violence in various parts of the city.


“Our Permanent Mission in Geneva was informed yesterday evening by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that her office had filed an Intervention Application in the Supreme Court of India in respect to CAA,” India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a four-point statement.

In his response to the application, Kumar said the citizenship law is an internal matter of India "and concerns the sovereign right of the Indian Parliament to make laws".


He further said that the Indian government "strongly believes" that no foreign party has the capacity to call for an action on issues pertaining to India's sovereignty.

He further said that the CAA meets all requirements of India's constitution and thus is constitutionally valid. “It is reflective of our long-standing national commitment in respect of human rights issues arising from the tragedy of the Partition of India,” he said.

“India is a democratic country governed by the rule of law," the spokesperson said while adding that the country has "utmost respect for and full trust in our independent judiciary".

He said that the government is confident that their "sound and legally sustainable" position will be proved right by the Indian Supreme Court.
Last week, Bachelet had also expressed concern over police inaction during the communal violence that took place in the Indian capital. Then too, the Indian government had said that the CAA was an internal matter of India.

Last year, at the 42nd session of the council in Geneva, Bachelet had said she was "deeply concerned" after India initiated its clampdown in occupied Kashmir.

India's move to annex Jammu and Kashmir through revocation of the region's special status and imposition of a communications and travel lockdown was also strongly criticised by independent UN experts who termed the moves as "collective punishment" for the entire population.

 

[Taimoor Khan]

So now what India and its social media troll army? You going to isolate the UN?

 

[ebr77]

so what happens next ?

 

[jamahir]

At last, the UNO has spoken !!

 

[El Sidd]

India wants to invade most of South East Asia and MENA by forceful deportation of 400 million Indians.

This is a new kind of warfare facing the world in age of bio weapons. UNHCR is looking at a disaster in the making and is helpless. As recession further grinds down, the Indian thirst for war economy may engulf the region in total war.

 

[Politico]

There is no "direct intervention". The headline is misleading. The UNCHR is joining an existing application before the Indian Supreme Court which seeks to challenge the constitutional validity of the CAA. I personally believe that the CAA challenge will fall short. It is the NRC which needs to be challenged in the Supreme Court since that smacks of unconstitutionality

 

[American Pakistani]

Now India will have to eat its words.

Thuk k chatna paray ga ab.

While Muslim population will grow. And Indian will burn about UN intervention.

 

[Taimoor Khan]

There is no "direct intervention". The headline is misleading. The UNCHR is joining an existing application before the Indian Supreme Court which seeks to challenge the constitutional validity of the CAA. I personally believe that the CAA challenge will fall short. It is the NRC which needs to be challenged in the Supreme Court since that smacks of unconstitutionality

What non sense? An international body just barged into a matter, became a party in a issue which under normal circumstances (nothing is normal in India these days) should be internal to India, even Indian foreign office is making noise about it! What are you on about ? Its slap on the face of Indian executive branch of the state.

 

[Politico]

What non sense? An international body just barged into a matter, became a party in a issue which under normal circumstances (nothing is normal in India these days) should be internal to India, even Indian foreign office is making noise about it! What are you on about ? Its slap on the face of Indian executive branch of the state.

You do realise that anybody can intervene in the matter as an interested party before the Supreme Court, including the government of Pakistan?

 

[Taimoor Khan]

Now India will have to eat its words.

Thuk k chatna paray ga ab.

While Muslim population will grow. And Indian will burn about UN intervention.

India should immediately expel all the UN staff and recall all its ambassadors within UN bodies. After that it should summon UN chief for explanation. After all, its Shupa powa India.

India will isolate the UN.

You do realise that anybody can intervene in the matter as an interested party before the Supreme Court, including the government of Pakistan?

This is unprecedented.

You have a domestic law (part of local constitution), pass democratically within the parliament by overwhelming majority, now challenged by world body, not some tom dick or harry within India!!

 

[Mighty Lion]

Epic fail.
UN is so weak that the only way they could intervene in India is through Indian govt (Supreme court).

 

[Taimoor Khan]

Epic fail.
UN is so weak that the only way they could intervene in India is through Indian govt (Supreme court).

Please go ahead and isolate the UN on global stage


Unless Indian courts are kangaroo courts (which I agree they are), on paper they are a independent institution to the government (executive).

 

[SIPRA]

Can Supreme Court of India entertain an applicant, who is not citizen of India?

 

[W.11]

UN is anti hindu, anti indian

 

[Protest_again]

Can Supreme Court of India entertain an applicant, who is not citizen of India?

They have no loci standi. They must have done it through PIL or they must have joined an existing case like @Politico said. Its upto supreme court to entertain or not.

I am pretty sure supreme court will approve the law as it is constitutionally valid. May be then UN could invade India, Lol @Taimoor Khan