Citizenship (Amendment) Act Rules, 2024

The Ministry of Home Affairs recently notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, for the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019.

What are the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024?

• The rules, in line with the 2019 amendment to The Citizenship Act, 1955, aim to provide citizenship to migrants from select neighboring countries of India.
• People from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, or Christian communities who entered India before December 31, 2014, from Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh are eligible to apply.
• An online system for application, processing, and grant of citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is being explored by the Home Ministry.
• Eligible applicants include individuals of Indian origin, spouses of Indian citizens, minor children of Indian citizens, individuals with registered Indian citizen parents, etc.
• It also includes Overseas Citizens of India Cardholders.
• Documents like Form VIIIA, an affidavit verifying the accuracy of information and attesting to the applicant’s character by an Indian citizen are required for citizenship by naturalization.
• Applicants must declare their proficiency in one of the languages specified in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.

Application process for citizenship:

• Under Section 6B of the Citizenship Act, 1955, applicants must follow a specific application process.
• It includes electronic submission of application to the Empowered Committee through the designated District Level Committee (DLC).
• Upon submission, applicants will receive an acknowledgement in Form IX, followed by document verification by the DLC.
• Applications shall have a declaration to the effect that the citizenship of his country shall stand renounced irrevocably, and not raise any claim on it in future.
• The designated officer administers the oath of allegiance to the applicant, after which the application and documents, are forwarded to the Empowered Committee.
• In case the applicant fails to appear in person for the oath-taking, the application will be refused by the Empowered Committee as recommended by DLC.
• Upon successful completion of the application, citizens will be provided digital certificates, and a hard copy if requested.

What is the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019?

• It is a legislative enactment passed by the Parliament in 2019 to amend the Citizenship (Amendment) Act Rules of 1955.
• This allowed for Indian citizenship to religious minorities, who fled from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan due to religious persecution or fear, before December 2014.
  • Religious minorities include Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians.
• They are provided with the opportunity to apply for Indian citizenship, provided they meet certain conditions.
• Under the CAA 2019 amendment, migrants who entered India by December 31, 2014, were eligible for fast-track Indian citizenship.
• The amendment reduced the residence requirement for naturalization from 11 years to 5 years.
• The CAA is not aimed at any particular religious community from abroad but establishes a framework for migrants who might have been considered “illegal” otherwise.

Who is exempted from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act Rules?

• Autonomous councils created under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution are exempted from the purview of CAA.
• The law will not be implemented in most tribal parts of Northeastern states.
• Areas, where the Inner Line Permit (ILP) is required by people from other parts of the country in Northeastern states, are excluded from the law.
  • The ILP is in place in parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur.

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