‘Government grants CAA citizenship in West Bengal, Haryana, Uttarakhand’

NEW DELHI: The process of granting citizenship certificates under the newly implemented Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 has officially commenced in the states of West Bengal, Haryana, and Uttarakhand. This development saw the first set of applicants in these states receiving their citizenship certificates on Wednesday.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, which were announced by the Government on March 11 2024, lay down a clear and structured method for the submission and processing of citizenship applications. These rules are specifically designed to assist individuals belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities who have migrated to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014 due to religious persecution or the fear of such persecution.

In West Bengal, the Empowered Committee of the state took the lead by granting citizenship certificates to the first group of applicants. Similarly, the Empowered Committees in Haryana and Uttarakhand also approved the initial batch of applications and awarded citizenship certificates to eligible individuals. This move follows the initial distribution of citizenship certificates in New Delhi on May 15, where the Union Home Secretary personally handed over the certificates to the applicants.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 specify a comprehensive procedure that begins with the submission of applications through an online portal. These applications are then reviewed by District Level Committees (DLCs) before being forwarded to the State Level Empowered Committees (ECs) for final approval. This meticulous process ensures that all applications are handled efficiently and transparently, safeguarding the interests of the applicants.