India's Supreme Couirt Will Review Controversial Citizenship Law Amendments

On Dec. 12, India's Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (full text) that was passed by Parliament received assent of the President.  The controversial new law  allows migrants who came into India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan on or before December 31, 2014, and who belong to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, or Christian religious communities, to become citizens. It does not include Muslims from those nations. (Background),  Muslims fear that the new law is part of Home Minister Amit Shah's plan to create a nationwide citizens' register to weed out illegal immigrants.  Now, according to Bloomberg, India's Supreme Court, in response to more than 50 petitions, will review the constitutionality of the new law. An initial hearing is scheduled for January 22.