Govt launches online portal to apply for citizenship under CAA-2019
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Following the announcement of the implementation of the contentious citizenship act, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) opened an online portal, indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in, on Tuesday for individuals applying for citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 (CAA-2019).
As per the spokesperson, the newly launched portal will streamline the application process for those eligible under CAA-2019. To further enhance accessibility, the government is set to introduce a dedicated mobile application named 'CAA-2019' to facilitate and expedite the application process.
This move comes a day after the Centre officially notified the rules of CAA-2019, marking a significant development four years after the contentious law was passed in Parliament.
Under the provisions of the CAA-2019, individuals belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, or Christian communities, who entered India from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan before December 31, 2014, can now apply for Indian citizenship. Notably, applicants are not required to present a valid passport from their countries of origin or a valid visa from India.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act sparked widespread protests across the country in 2019-20, with concerns raised over its potential implications. The legislation is currently facing a legal challenge before the Supreme Court which has yet to take up for hearing the petitions. .
In the northeastern states of Assam and Tripura, the Bill encountered opposition from Hindu communities who perceived it as legitimizing the influx of Bangladeshi migrants.