New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has amended the Citizenship Rules, 2009, introducing stricter disclosure requirements for people applying for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019.
Under the revised rules issued on May 18, applicants seeking citizenship through the CAA must declare whether they currently hold or previously held passports issued by Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh. Applicants must provide passport numbers, dates of issue, place of issue, and expiry details.
The amended framework also directs successful applicants to surrender valid and expired foreign passports within 15 days of receiving Indian citizenship. Authorities have instructed applicants to submit these documents to the concerned superintendent or senior superintendent of post.
The fresh provisions apply under Schedule IC of the Citizenship Rules. The schedule covers Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
The Citizenship Amendment Act created a fast track citizenship process for undocumented non Muslim migrants from the three neighbouring countries. The law triggered nationwide protests after Parliament passed it in 2019. Critics argued the law introduced religion based criteria into citizenship policy. The Union government defended the legislation as protection for persecuted minority communities from neighbouring Islamic countries.
The timing of the amendment has drawn political attention after the Bharatiya Janata Party formed government in West Bengal for the first time. The Matua community in Bengal, many with roots in present day Bangladesh, has remained closely linked with demands for CAA implementation and citizenship clarity.
