Why in the news?
- The Supreme Court of India held that rights associated with Indian Citizenship to those acquired citizenship under CAA 2019 are subject to verification of claims.
Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA),2019
- Origin: The CAA, 2019 amends the Citizenship Act, 1955.
- Objective: To provide humanitarian relief to certain persecuted religious minorities from neighbouring countries.
- Eligible Beneficiaries:
- Religious Minorities: Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, Christians
- Countries Covered: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan
- Condition: Must have fled due to religious persecution or fear of religious persecution.
- Citizenship by Naturalisation:
- Earlier requirement (Citizenship Act, 1955): Residence in India for 11 out of the previous 14 years + last 12 months.
- Present Status: Residence requirement reduced to 6 years (for the six specified communities).
- Illegal Immigrant:
- According to the Act, a person is an illegal migrant if-
- Enters India without valid travel documents (passport/visa), or
- Enters legally but overstays beyond the permitted period.
- According to the Act, a person is an illegal migrant if-
- Exceptions under CAA, 2019:
- Members of the six specified communities shall not be treated as illegal migrants.
- They are exempted from prosecution under-
- Foreigners Act, 1946
- Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920
- Areas Where CAA Does NOT Apply:
- Sixth Schedule Areas: Tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura
- Inner Line Permit (ILP) States: Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland
Source: The Hindu