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India's Top Court Refuses to Put on Hold a Controversial Citizenship Law

Anjana Pasricha

   NEW DELHI - India's top court has refused to put on hold a a
   controversial citizenship law that has sparked nationwide protests and
   fuelled a storm of criticism that it discriminates against Muslims.

   A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde asked
   the government on Wednesday to respond in four weeks to petitioners who
   say the legislation should be scrapped because it violates India's
   secular constitution.

   The court said that a constitutional bench of five judges was needed to
   hear the challenges to the legislation.

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