courtesy: moneycontrolThe Ministry of Home Affairs announced that the first set of citizenship certificates were issued on Wednesday. It informed that Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla handed over citizenship certificates to 14 applicants in New Delhi. This comes months after India notified the Citizenship Amendment Rules.
The ministry has also informed that over 14 applicants physically received the citizenship certificate in Delhi on Wednesday. The government added that many other applicants are receiving it over emails.
In a press release, the Union Home Ministry said, “The Empowered Committee, Delhi headed by Director (Census Operation), Delhi after due scrutiny, have decided to grant citizenship to 14 applicants. Accordingly, Director (Census operation) granted certificates to these applicants.”
The applicants who received the citizenship certificates were congratulated by the Home Secretary and highlighted the salient features of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2024.
What are the rules of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)?
The Citizenship Amendment Rules 2024 (CAA) was enacted by the ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in December 2019, wherein the government decided onto granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from neighbouring countries – Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, who came to India on or before December 31, 2014. These includes Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, and Parsis.
Post the enactment, the CAA got the president’s assent but the rules under which the Indian citizenship was granted were issued only this year after over four years delay.
