PUDUCHERRY: Opposing the decision of the ruling Congress to go for a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the Legislative Assembly, when it is convened on February 12, the BJP MLAs on Thursday petitioned the Speaker of the territorial assembly V P Sivakozhunthu urging him not to allow any discussion on the CAA in the Legislative Assembly.
The nominated MLAs of the BJP V Saminathan, K G Shankar and S Selvaganapathy in their petition to the Speaker on Thursday, quoting Section 18 of the Union Territories Act 1963, they said that the subject of citizenship falls in the domain of central list and not in the state list or concurrent list.
Hence the territorial assembly has no power to discuss the matter. Consequently, any discussions on CAA exceeds the legislative powers of the Assembly and must not be permitted in the assembly, he said. Section 18 states that the legislative assembly may make laws for the whole or any part of the union territory with respect to any matters enumerated in the state or concurrent list.
Further, they pointed out that CAA has come into existence after the bill in this regard has been passed by both the houses of parliament and President of India had given his assent to become an Act. Now any discussion on CAA will be construed as derogatory and will be deemed to have infringed on the right of the parliament and question the wisdom of President of India under whose administration the Union territory functions.