Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea challenging imposition of NSA in Delhi and other states amid anti-CAA protests

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea challenging the imposition of the National Security Act (NSA) in few states and the national capital amid anti-CAA protests. A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Indira Banerjee said that it cannot pass a blanket order with regard to the imposition of the NSA and asked lawyer ML Sharma to withdraw the plea. The bench asked Sharma to file a fresh petition or an interim application in pending pleas on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) giving specific details of violations of NSA. Sharma’s plea questioned the imposition of the NSA, saying it has been done to curb and pressure people protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC). Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on 10 January extended detaining powers to Delhi Police under the NSA for a three-month period starting 19 January. This allows police to detain a person for 12 months without trial. Protests are taking place at various places in the country against CAA and NPR.