AGARTALA, Dec 13 (TIWN): Tripura Royal scion Pradyot Manikya is all set to file a petition challenging the controversial Citizenship Amendment bill dealing with refugee naturalisation in the Supreme Court.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, now approved by Parliament and awaiting presidential assent, offers a path to Indian citizenship for non-Muslim minority refugees who faced religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh.

Eminent Lawyer of Supreme Court Kapil Sibal who has recently made a firing comment against Union Home Minister Amit Shah to represent Pradyot Manikya in the Court.

Kapil Sibal is also representing the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in its petition before the Supreme Court.

The Congress leader, Lawyer Kapil Sibal said on Thursday, hours after the first petition challenging the proposed law was filed in the Supreme Court, “The Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) is unconstitutional and the court will decide on its validity”.

"If the Home Minister says this bill is valid, thank God he isn't a judge in Supreme Court. Merely because he says it is valid doesn't make it valid. We believe it's unconstitutional and the court will decide," Sibal told media when asked whether the Congress would be next to approach the Supreme Court against the CAB.

The citizenship bill, which enables non-Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to become citizens of India, is close to becoming law after being cleared by both houses of parliament. The ruling party, especially Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, says the bill is intended to help minority communities facing religious persecution in the three neighbouring countries.

The bill has sparked massive protests in Assam, Tripura and other northeastern states, where people are worried that the demographics will change if immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh are legitimized.