The rules for the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, passed in 2019, were notified today, weeks before the nation votes to elect a new government. The Centre had maintained that rules will come into effect before 2024 polls.
Here are the top points
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The law seeks to provide citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis who came to India on or before December 31, 2014 from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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The Indian citizenship will be granted to the immigrant who has lived in India in the last one year and at least five of the last 14 years. Earlier for the migrants, citizenship by naturalisation was 11 years.
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The law exempts the tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura as included in Sixth Schedule of the Constitution including the tribal areas of Karbi Anglong in Assam, Garo Hills in Meghalaya, Chakma district in Mizoram, and Tribal areas district in Tripura.
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There were massive protests in some parts of the country, including the Northeastern region, after the CAA was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and got the presidential assent.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier said CAA rules would be notified and implemented before the Lok Sabha polls.
