Context
Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) authorised District Collectors in six States and the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to process and decide specified citizenship applications. Pending applications under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 will be transferred to the concerned Collectors.
Explanation
- Articles 5–11 deal with citizenship at the commencement of the Constitution; Article 11 empowers Parliament to regulate it by law.
- Citizenship is Entry 17 of the Union List; the Citizenship Act, 1955 provides for birth, descent, registration, naturalisation and incorporation of territory.
- The CAA, 2019 covers Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India by 31 December 2014, cutting the naturalisation residence period from 11 years to five.
- Citizenship is not automatic — it needs an application, document and background verification and an oath of allegiance.
- It does not apply to Sixth Schedule areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura or to Inner Line Permit areas.
- The 2024 Rules set up Empowered and District-Level Committees under Section 6B; the 2026 change shifts this work to Collectors in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
- Collectors receive applications electronically, verify documents, hold inquiries and administer the oath under authority delegated by the Centre, not an independent State power.
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CAA citizenship