New Delhi/IBNS: The Indian Union Muslim League or IUML on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the implementation of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which aims to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from India's neighbouring countries Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Opposing the CAA, the INML termed the linking of citizenship with religion as "illegal".

The Centre Monday notified the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

The notification paves the way for granting Indian citizenship to people belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian communities on grounds of religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh before 2015.

In a post on X, the Home Ministry said, "These rules, called the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 will enable the persons eligible under CAA-2019 to apply for grant of Indian citizenship."

"The applications will be submitted in a completely online mode for which a web portal has been provided," it said.

The Parliament passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in December 2019.

"Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, will give a new ray of hope to persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have migrated to India after facing persecution on the ground of religion in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh," Home Minister Amit Shah had said as he piloted the legislation for passing in the Parliament.

Shah reiterated that the Bill is not against any minority in India and that the rights of each Indian Citizen will be equally protected.