What is Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)? Who will get citizenship and how?

On March 11, the Home Ministry officially announced the implementation of the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 was approved 4 years ago in Parliament in December 2019. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 9 and by the Rajya Sabha on December 11 but it had not been implemented until now. However, on March 11, the Modi government issued a notification regarding the CAA.

Know what the CAA law is?

CAA opens the way for non-Muslim minorities – Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian, and Parsi refugees who arrived in India before December 31, 2014, from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan to obtain Indian citizenship.

• It should be noted that CAA poses no threat to the citizenship of Muslims or any other religious or community members in India.

Key points to be noted:

1. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) does not extend to Indian citizens.

2. Its aim is to confer Indian citizenship upon specific foreigners who have faced persecution based on their religion and sought refuge in India.

3. This provision applies to individuals who have been compelled or forced to seek asylum in India due to religious persecution.

4. The CAA excludes certain regions, namely the tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura as outlined in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Additionally, it exempts states governed by the ‘Inner Line’ permit under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873.

5. According to the Citizenship Amendment Act of 2019, the registration of Overseas Citizens of India may be revoked if they violate any laws notified by the central government.

In which year was the CAA passed?

Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was initially introduced in the Lok Sabha in 2016.

• While it passed there, it faced obstacles in the Rajya Sabha. Subsequently, it was referred to a parliamentary committee.
• Following this, the 2019 Lok Sabha elections took place, leading to the formation of the BJP government once again.
• In December 2019, it was reintroduced in the Lok Sabha and successfully passed in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
• On January 10, 2020, it received approval from the President. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, its implementation was delayed.

Who will be eligible for citizenship?

Following the implementation of the CAA, the central government will possess the sole authority to confer citizenship upon specific individuals.

• This group includes Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Christians, and Parsis who migrated to India from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh prior to December 31, 2014.

Only those who arrived in India before the specified date will be eligible for citizenship.

As per reports, individuals who entered India without valid travel documents (such as passports and visas) or who entered with valid documents but overstayed beyond the designated period will be classified as illegal immigrants under the CAA law.

How to proceed with the application?

The process of acquiring Indian citizenship has been fully digitalized, with an online platform already set up for this specific purpose.

• Applicants will be required to indicate the year of their entry into India without any documents on this platform. No documentation will be requested from applicants in order to acquire citizenship.
• Eligible candidates will simply need to access the online portal and complete their application.
• Following this, the Ministry of Home Affairs will assess the application, and citizenship will be granted accordingly.

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