Citizenship under CAA 2019 granted only after official verification of claims, says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court clarified that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, provides enforceable rights to persecuted religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, but these rights are contingent upon official verification. An NGO, Aatmadeep, raised concerns about the 'Special Intensive Revision' (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, which risks making refugees stateless due to delays in issuing citizenship certificates. The Court emphasized that while the law exists, a mechanism for implementation must be followed. It has sought responses from the Centre and the Election Commission regarding the status of these applicants and the validity of their acknowledgment receipts.
Key Points
- The CAA 2019 grants citizenship rights to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from three neighboring countries.
- The Supreme Court stated that every claim must be enquired into and verified by authorities before citizenship is conferred.
- The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has created a fear of statelessness among those whose claims are pending.
- The NGO argued that acknowledgment receipts of naturalization applications should be treated as provisional proof of citizenship to prevent disenfranchisement.
Exam Facts
- Proviso to Section 2(1)(b) of CAA exempts specific religious minorities from being considered 'illegal migrants'.
- Section 6B of the CAA allows eligible persons to apply for registration or naturalization certificates.
- The cutoff date for entry into India under CAA is on or before December 31, 2014.
Read it. Retain it. Recall it.
Get spaced-repetition flashcards, daily quizzes and offline access — free on Android.