UN approaches Supreme Court against CAA, India says “internal matter”

In possibly the first such instance, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) has filed an intervention application in India’s Supreme Court against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), prompting the government to assert that “no foreign party” has any locus standi on this internal matter.

The legal plea by the United Nations came amid continued protests over the CAA which was enacted in December last year. The protests turned ugly last week in Delhi, where some parts witnessed violence in which over 40 people were killed.

“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 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA),” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a statement.

“The Citizenship Amendment Act is an internal matter of India and concerns the sovereign right of the Indian Parliament to make laws.  We strongly believe that no foreign party has any locus standi on issues pertaining to India’s sovereignty,” he added.

Kumar asserted that CAA is constitutionally valid and that he is confident that India’s legally-sustainable position would be vindicated by the Supreme Court.

“We are clear that CAA is constitutionally valid & complies with all requirements of our constitutional values. 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. We all have utmost respect for and full trust in our independent judiciary. We are confident that our sound and legally sustainable position would be vindicated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” he added.

Read Intervention Application here