Inaugurated on Tuesday by the Central Government, the freshly introduced online portal, indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in, marks a pivotal step for individuals seeking citizenship under the CAA-2019.
Complementing this portal, an innovative mobile application named ‘CAA-2019′ will be unveiled to streamline application processes. An official from the Ministry of Home Affairs remarked, “The Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, under the CAA-2019, have been formally communicated. A novel portal, indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in, has been initiated, providing an avenue for eligible individuals under CAA-2019 to initiate their citizenship applications.”
Preceding the imminent Lok Sabha elections, the Central Government, on Monday, released the regulations for the contentious CAA. Emphasizing a fully digital approach, the Ministry of Home Affairs made it explicit that applications would exclusively be entertained through online means.
Formally notified after a lapse of four years since the enactment of the CAA in December 2019, the rules will now commence conferring Indian citizenship upon persecuted non-Muslim migrants—namely, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians—from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014. The implementation of these rules is immediate.
The proclamation, issued on Monday, aligns with Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent affirmation that the CAA regulations would be disclosed before the Lok Sabha elections. In accordance with the Manual on Parliamentary Work, legislations’ rules should be formulated within six months of presidential assent, or the government must seek an extension from the Committees on Subordinate Legislation in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Since 2020, the Home Ministry has consistently sought extensions from the parliamentary committee to draft the rules.
Union Minister Amit Shah heralded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling another commitment and realizing the vision of the Constitution’s framers. A spokesperson from the Home Ministry expounded, “These regulations, denominated the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, will empower individuals eligible under CAA-2019 to petition for the conferment of Indian citizenship.”