The Centre has broadened the scope of the rules under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), allowing for Indian nationality to be granted to persecuted minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
The Union Home Ministry has stated that any document issued by central or state governments or quasi-judicial bodies in India, confirming that a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent was or is a citizen of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan, will be deemed acceptable.
The clarification of the home ministry came after many applicants seeking Indian nationality under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 were reported to be facing difficulties due to a particular clause of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024.
"Any document that shows that either of the parents or grandparents or great grandparents of the applicant is or had been a citizen of one of the three countries i.e of Afghanistan or Bangladesh or Pakistan," the earlier clause of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 says.
In its latest clarification, the home ministry said: "It may be clarified that the documents under Sr No. 8 of the Schedule -1A may include any document issued by the central government/state government/ any judicial or quasi judicial body in India such as land record, judicial order etc., identifying or representing that the applicant or the parents or grandparents or great grandparents had been a national of Afghanistan or Bangladesh or Pakistan."
The CAA, enacted in December 2019, provides Indian nationality to persecuted Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014.