In a significant development, the Union home ministry officially notified the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) on Monday, marking a crucial milestone over four years after the law was passed by Parliament. The CAA aims to expedite the citizenship process for non-Muslims who entered India from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh before December 31, 2014, triggering protests and debates.
Officials have confirmed that the entire application process for eligible individuals seeking Indian citizenship under the CAA will be conducted online. This move comes months after Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured that the rules would be in place before the upcoming 2024 national polls scheduled for this summer.
Parliament passed the CAA on December 11, 2019, and it was swiftly notified within 24 hours. However, the delay in framing the rules raised concerns as parliamentary procedures dictate that rules for any legislation should have been formulated within six months of presidential assent, necessitating an extension from the Committees on Subordinate Legislation in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The Union home ministry has consistently sought extensions since 2020 from the committees to draft the necessary rules for eligible applicants under the CAA.
The implementation of the CAA has been a significant electoral promise for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), prominently featured in the last Lok Sabha elections and the 2021 assembly polls in West Bengal.
In October 2022, the Union government’s decision to authorize collectors in two districts of Gujarat to grant citizenship certificates to non-Muslims from neighboring countries under the Citizenship Act, 1955, reignited demands for the CAA’s enforcement. Leaders in Bengal claimed this as a preliminary step toward the CAA’s execution.
The Matuas, part of the Dalit Namasudra community, migrated from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1947 and during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. They constitute a significant voter base in north and south Bengal districts bordering Bangladesh.
While the BJP and its supporters advocate for the CAA, West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress opposes it, citing its unconstitutionality. The legislation prompted protests from opponents who argued that it was discriminatory and unconstitutional, excluding Muslims and linking faith to citizenship in a secular country.
