MHA grants citizenship under CAA ahead of final phase of 2024 Lok Sabha elections

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has started granting citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in West Bengal, Haryana, and Uttarakhand. The first set of citizenship certificates was given to the eligible individuals by the Empowered Committees (ECs) on May 29.

Just before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, MHA sent out a notification regarding the norms pertaining to CAA on March 11. This development comes just ahead of the last round of voting for the Lok Sabha elections in the West Bengal parliamentary constituencies of Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar scheduled for June 1.

“The process of granting citizenship certificates under the CAA has now commenced in West Bengal, where the first set of applications from the state were today granted citizenship by the Empowered Committee, West Bengal. Similarly, the empowered committees of the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand have also granted citizenship today to the first set of applicants in their respective states, under the CAA,” MHA stated. 

Under the CAA, citizenships are granted to the persecuted minorities belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. Although the bill was passed in December 2019, the lack of notification of the rules prevented CAA from being put into effect.

Several opposition leaders, such as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, have said that they oppose CAA because it curtails constitutional rights. Union home minister Amit Shah said that Mamata Banerjee won’t be able to stop CAA implementation.

A provision in the CAA rules states that refugees from six minority communities—Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian, from the three nations—Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, who entered India before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution or fear of religious persecution, are eligible.

In order to apply for the grant of citizenship by registration or naturalisation, An application, an affidavit verifying the accuracy of the statements made in it, a second affidavit from an Indian citizen attesting to their character, and a declaration that they are familiar with one of the languages listed in the eighth schedule of the Constitution are required.

According to the rules, the application must be sent electronically to an Empowered Committee (EC) via the District Level Committee (DLC), which may be notified by the central government. 

It should also be backed up by supporting documentation, such as a copy of a passport issued by the governments of Bangladesh, Pakistan, or Afghanistan; a birth certificate; any other type of identity document; land or tenancy records; or any documentation proving that the applicant's parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents were citizens of one of the three nations. These documents will be accepted even after their validity term has passed.

Additionally, applicants must provide proof that they entered India on or before December 31, 2014. This evidence may be in the form of an immigration stamp or visa, a registration certificate from the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO), a slip from an Indian census enumerator, or any other government-issued license or certificate (such as an Indian marriage certificate, Aadhaar number, ration card, or driving license, etc.)

Ajay Bhalla, the Union Home Secretary, had given 14 petitioners the first batch of citizenship certificates physically earlier this month. Around 300 other applicants are being given digitally signed certificates through email. An official stated, "After thorough consideration, the EC, Delhi, led by Director (Census Operation), Delhi, has decided to grant citizenship to all the applicants."