Anti-CAA protests LIVE: SC refuses to stay implementation of Citizenship Act

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, December 18, will hear around 60 petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India, Justice SA Bobde and comprising Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant will hear the petitions. The petitioners include Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Tripura's Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman, the Indian Union Muslim League and Asom Gana Parishad.

Protests against the Citizenship act have spread across the country, with various varsity students coming forward in support of Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi.

Massive protests against the CAA rocked the Osmania University and University of Hyderabad on Tuesday as the students took out torch rallies. Hundreds of students carrying torches in their hands came together at Arts College in Osmania University to demand rollback of the CAA and to call for boycott of the proposed National Register of Citizens.

In Delhi's Seelampur, motorbikes were torched, stones were hurled at the police and buses were damaged on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that agitations against the CAA are 100 per cent politically sponsored as some parties are trying to draw a wedge between Hindus and Muslims and that "no citizen needs to fear from NRC and CAA".

Shah said that there was no question of a roll back of CAA and out of 400 universities, the agitation is confined to only four while 18 have given only symbolic support to students in the wake of law and order issues and the resultant violence.

The Home Minister made his remarks in an interview to a television channel.

Here are the Live updates of today's proceedings:

HD Kumaraswamy from Janata Dal (Secular) has said that his party opposes the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). 

Supreme Court issues notice to the Centre on a batch of pleas challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, December 18, refused to stay the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. Supreme Court says it will hear the pleas in January.

Delhi High Court agrees to hear the plea seeking constitution of a fact-finding committee to look into the Jamia violence.

Chief Justice Patel agrees to list the plea for hearing tomorrow.

According to ANI, six people have been arrested by Police in connection with Tuesday's Seelampur violence. Raids are being conducted to apprehend some other people who have also been identified.

Road No 13A between Mathura Road and Kalindi Kunj is closed for traffic movement. People coming from Noida are advised to take DND or Akshardham to reach Delhi, says the Traffic Police advisory. 

Similarly people going to Noida from Mathura road are advised to take Ashram Chowk, DND or Noida link road. Okhla underpass going towards Kalindi Kunj is also closed for traffic movement.