Manipur, Jan. 22 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to put on hold the contentious Citizenship Act stating that it will not grant any stay without hearing the government, and has given four weeks' time to respond to the petition filed on the law.

A five-judge constitution bench will give an interim order on some 140 petitions on the law, the top court stated. A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde is hearing 143 petitions, mostly challenging the validity of the citizenship law.

The chief justice specified that the CAA challenge may eventually be referred to a Constitution Bench for a decision on merits.

The apex court also restrained all high courts from hearing petitions on the amended Citizenship Act before it decided on th...