On Wednesday, the Bharatiya government issued the first set of citizenship certificates to 14 people under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). This comes almost four and a half years after the law was enacted. The Union Home Secretary, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, handed over the certificates in New Delhi and congratulated the recipients.
The Home Ministry notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, on March 11 this year. These rules outline the application process, including the form, procedures for processing by the District Level Committee (DLC), and scrutiny and approval by the State Level Empowered Committee (EC).
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In the past two months, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) received numerous applications from individuals belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. These applicants entered Bharat before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution or fear of persecution.
The DLCs, chaired by senior postal officials, verified the applicants’ documents and administered the oath of allegiance. After successful verification, the applications were forwarded to the State Level Empowered Committee for further scrutiny.
The Empowered Committee, led by the director of census operations in Delhi, reviewed the applications and granted citizenship to 14 individuals. The certificates were then issued by the director of census operations.
The CAA, passed in December 2019, faced delays in the implementation of its rules, leading to widespread protests that subsided during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several petitions challenging the CAA are still pending before the Supreme Court.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has opposed the CAA, fearing it may restrict the rights of existing Bharatiya citizens.
As per the CAA rules, refugees from six minority communities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan can apply for citizenship by registration or naturalization. They must submit an application, an affidavit verifying their statements, another affidavit from an Bharatiya citizen vouching for their character, and a declaration of familiarity with one of the languages listed in the Bharatiya Constitution’s eighth schedule.
Applicants must apply electronically through the empowered committee and the DLC. Required documents include a passport from their nation of origin, a birth certificate, an identity document, land or tenancy records, or proof of their parents’ or grandparents’ citizenship in one of the three countries. These documents remain valid even if they have expired.
In addition, applicants must prove they entered Bharat before December 31, 2014. Acceptable proof includes a visa and immigration stamp, registration with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO), a slip from Bharatiya census enumerators, or government-issued licenses and certificates such as a driving license, Aadhaar card, ration card, or marriage certificate issued in Bharat.
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