Government Unveils CAA Rules, Launches Online Portal for Citizenship Applications

The Ministry of Home Affairs notified the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act today, marking the initiation of the law's implementation nationwide. 

The rules outline the process for granting citizenship through registration or naturalisation, particularly for individuals of Indian origin or those married to Indian citizens.

In line with this, the MHA has introduced a dedicated online portal tailored to streamline the application process and provide a user-friendly interface for applicants.

Under these regulations, Indian nationality will be extended to individuals belonging to minority communities, including Christians, Parsis, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, and Hindus. The eligibility criteria specify that these migrants must have arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014. 

However, the legislation explicitly excludes the Muslim community from its provisions, leading to widespread protests nationwide and prompting numerous petitions to be filed before the Supreme Court.

Applications for registration or naturalisation under the Citizenship Act are required to be submitted electronically to the Empowered Committee through the designated District Level Committee.

The Empowered Committee is responsible for scrutinising the applications to ensure their completeness. Upon satisfaction with the applicant's eligibility, the committee may grant Indian citizenship.

Successful applicants will be issued digital certificates of registration or naturalisation, as applicable, in the prescribed format. Hard copies of these certificates will also be provided upon request.

Applicants are required to declare their intention to renounce their previous citizenship irrevocably upon the approval of their application. They must also declare that they will not raise any claim on their previous citizenship in the future.