WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
The Centre on Friday invited non-Muslims like Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists belonging to Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan and
Residing in 13 districts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Punjab to apply for Indian citizenship.
IS THIS UNDER CAA, 2019?
The Union home ministry issued a notification in this effect for immediate implementation of the order under the Citizenship Act 1955 and Rulesframed under the law in 2009, Even though the rules under the Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA) enacted in 2019 are yet to be framed by the government.
"In exercise of powers conferred under Section 16 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955), the central government hereby directs that powers exercisable by it for registration as citizen of India under Section 5, or for grant of certificate of naturalisation under section 6 of the Citizenship Act 1955 in respect of any person belonging to minority community in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan namely, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, residing in the districts mentioned and the states mentioned below....,“
The notification said.
When the CAA was enacted in 2019, there were widespread protests in different parts of the country and even riots took place in Delhi in early 2020 in the wake of these protests. According to the CAA, Indian citizenship will be given to non Muslim persecuted minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan – Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian -- who had come to India till December 31, 2014.
The Rules under the CAA are yet to be framed by the government.
WHO ARE ELIGIBLE?
People who are eligible to apply for Indian citizenship are those currently living in the districts ofMorbi, Rajkot, Patan and Vadodara of Gujarat, Durg and Balodabazar in Chhattisgarh, Jalore, Udaipur, Pali, Barmer and Sirohi in Rajasthan, Faridabad in Haryana and Jalandhar in Punjab.
This is in addition to the 16 districts in seven states that were given powers to verify and approve citizenship under preCAA provision i.e., Citizenship Act, 1955. The total number of districts where this is being implemented is 29 districts in nine states.
NO MENTION WB & ASSAM
Interestingly, the home ministry's order makes no mention of West Bengal and Assam where the matter of CAA was raised during the recent state assembly elections, with both states sharing a vast border with Bangladesh. During the recently-concluded assembly polls, several BJP leaders said that CAA rules were on the anvil. But with several states going into lockdown and curfews due to rising Covid cases back in April, there seems to be an inordinate delay in the announcement of CAA rules.
HOW THE REFUGEES ARE STAYING IN INDIA TILL NOW?
Most of those applying are on
Long Term Visas (LTVs).
APPLYING FOR CITIZENSHIP
"The application for registration as citizen of India or grant of certificate of naturalisation as citizen of India under the said rules (Citizenship Rules, 2009) shall be made by the applicant online,“ The notification said.
The home ministry said the verification of the application is done simultaneously by the collector or secretary (Home) of Haryana and Punjab as the case may be, At the district-level and the state-level, and the application and the reports thereon shall be made accessible simultaneously to the Centre on the online portal.
In 2018, the government granted similar powers to collectors and home secretaries of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. In 2016, a similar notification also included Maharashtra.
The collector or the secretary on being satisfied with the suitability of the applicant, will grant him the citizenship of India by registration or naturalisation and Issue a certificate of registration or naturalisation, as the case may be, duly printed from online portal and signed by the collector or the secretary in the form as prescribed in the said rules, the notification said. The collector or the secretary shall maintain an online as well as physical register.
Q. Which of the following statements regarding Citizenship is correct?
1. The Indian Constitution provided single citizenship for the entire country.
2. Since 2003, dual citizenship is allowed by Indian law that is called OCI.
A) 1 only
B) 2 only
C) Both 1 & 2
D) None of the above
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