The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is anticipated to release the regulations for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 before the implementation of the model code of conduct, according to sources.
The CAA regulations, implemented by the government of Narendra Modi, seek to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants who faced persecution, such as Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians, and who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and entered India prior to December 31, 2014.
After the CAA was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and then approved by the President, there were major protests in different areas of the country.
According to insiders who spoke to ANI, the CAA regulations may be revealed before the model code of conduct is enforced, and there is a chance that the code of conduct could be implemented in March.
According to a source, the Citizenship Amendment Act can be put into effect using notifications from the Ministry of Home Affairs, allowing eligible individuals to obtain Indian citizenship.
The CAA, which has been postponed for more than four years, requires the creation of its related regulations.
"The regulations are prepared, and an online portal is already set up for the entire process, which will be conducted digitally. Applicants will need to disclose the year of their entry into India without any travel documents. No additional documentation will be required from the applicants," stated the official.
On December 27, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the CAA cannot be stopped as it is the established law of the country. He also accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of misguiding the public on this issue.
Addressing a gathering at a party event in Kolkata, Shah stressed the BJP's dedication to enacting the CAA.
The CAA has been opposed by the TMC, under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee.
The BJP made a strong commitment to enacting the controversial CAA, which was a major focus during the recent Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in West Bengal. Leaders of the party see it as a key factor in the BJP's rise in the state.
According to parliamentary procedure guidelines, any legislation should have been formulated within six months of receiving the president's approval, or the government should have requested an extension from the Committees on Subordinate Legislation in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Since 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs has consistently requested extensions from parliamentary committees to continue developing the rules linked to the legislation.
More than 100 people died either in the demonstrations or as a result of police intervention after the law was passed in Parliament.
Over the last two years, more than 30 district magistrates and home secretaries in nine states have been given the power to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan under the Citizenship Act of 1955.
According to the 2021-22 annual report from the Ministry of Home Affairs, a total of 1,414 individuals from non-Muslim minority groups from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan were given Indian citizenship through registration or naturalization under the Citizenship Act, 1955, between April 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021.
According to the Citizenship Act of 1955, non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan can obtain Indian citizenship through registration or naturalization in nine specific states - Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra.
It is worth mentioning that the authorities in the districts of Assam and West Bengal, which are politically sensitive regions, have not been given the authority to grant citizenship up to now.
