CAA LIVE updates: On Monday, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi notified rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, bringing it into effect.

Despite receiving parliamentary approval in December 2019 and subsequent presidential assent, the CAA sparked widespread protests nationwide. Many opposition parties criticised the law, labelling it as “discriminatory”. The protests and police responses led to the loss of over 100 lives, according to news agency PTI.

The CAA rules aim to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants – including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians – who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.

Who can apply for citizenship?

According to Section 6B of the Act, applications for citizenship through registration or naturalisation will not be considered unless,

• The person is of Indian origin.

• The person is married to a citizen of India.

• The person is a minor child of a person who is a citizen of India.

• The person’s parents are registered as citizens of India.

• The person or either of his parents was a citizen of Independent India.

• The person is registered as an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder.

Special documents required

The new rules suggest that those applying for Indian citizenship must submit two particular documents –

• An affidavit verifying the correctness of the statements made in the application along with an affidavit from an Indian citizen testifying the character of the applicant.

• A declaration from the applicant that he has adequate knowledge of one of the languages as specified in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.