Centre Starts Granting Citizenship Under CAA in West Bengal, Haryana, Uttarakhand

New Delhi: The Union government announced the initiation of citizenship grants under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in West Bengal, Haryana, and Uttarakhand, as confirmed by the Home Ministry on Wednesday.

Process of granting citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 commences in West Bengal. (1/2)

Press Release:https://t.co/Hs80FiUDWt

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) May 29, 2024

According to a statement from the ministry, citizenship was conferred to applicants in these three states by their respective State Empowered Committees on Wednesday.

Earlier, on May 15, the first batch of citizenship certificates were issued in New Delhi to applicants, marking the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024. These certificates were presented by the Union Home Secretary.

Enacted in December 2019, the CAA aims to provide Indian nationality to persecuted minorities including Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014.

Despite being enacted in 2019, the rules outlining the process for granting Indian citizenship were issued on March 11, after a delay of four years since the CAA received presidential assent.