Citizenship Amendment Act Implemented Four Years After Passage               

In a significant development, the Modi government has announced the commencement of granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived in India until December 31, 2014.

Notification of Implementation Rules

• The Ministry of Home Affairs has declared the notification of rules for implementing the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) today. These rules, titled the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, will allow eligible individuals under the CAA-2019 to apply for Indian citizenship. Notably, the application process will be conducted entirely online, facilitated by a dedicated web portal provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Key Provisions of the Citizenship Amendment Act

• The CAA aims to facilitate the granting of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. This initiative extends to individuals belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities who entered India before December 31, 2014.

Integral Aspect of BJP’s Manifesto

• The implementation of the CAA was a pivotal component of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.

Background and Controversy

• The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in December 2019 and subsequently received the President’s assent. However, its implementation faced opposition, leading to protests across various parts of the country. Tragically, over a hundred individuals lost their lives during these protests or as a result of police actions.

Delay in Enforcement

• The law couldn’t be enforced earlier as rules needed to be notified for its implementation. According to the Manual on Parliamentary Work, legislation rules should be framed within six months of presidential assent, or extensions must be sought from the Committees on Subordinate Legislation in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Ongoing Extensions for Rule Framing

• Since 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been obtaining regular extensions from the parliamentary committee for formulating the rules.

Streamlined Application Process

• To streamline the citizenship application process, the Ministry of Home Affairs has developed a dedicated online portal. Applicants will be required to declare the year of their entry into India without travel documents.
• In conclusion, the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act marks a significant step towards addressing the status of persecuted non-Muslim migrants, aligning with the government’s commitment to providing refuge and citizenship to those in need.