Centre authorises district collectors in eight regions to grant Indian citizenship

New Delhi: The Union home ministry on Wednesday authorised district collectors in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam and Tripura (except tribal areas), and Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to grant naturalised citizenship to "fit and proper" applicants ordinarily residing in these regions.

The government notified the Citizenship (Third Amendment) Rules 2026 on Wednesday, granting district collectors in these states and UTs the authority to process citizenship-seeking applications for "registration or naturalisation".

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"The Collector, on being satisfied with the suitability of the applicant, that he is a fit and proper person to be registered or naturalised, as the case may be, shall grant him the citizenship of India," the notified rules said.

The district collectors in these states will replace the "Empowered Committees" and "Designated Officers" that previously held these powers.

In the gazette notification, the Home Ministry has authorised district collectors in these areas to "receive, scrutinise, and dispose" of such applications in accordance with the laid-down parameters.

The new rules apply to citizenship-seeking applicants ordinarily residing in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura, as well as the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. In Assam and Tripura, the rules specifically exclude tribal areas.

The new rules designate the district collector as the "competent authority" to receive requests for registration or naturalisation "electronically".

The government has directed that all applications currently pending with those committees or District Level Committees in the specified regions be immediately transferred to the relevant collector.

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Upon submission, the system will generate an automated acknowledgement. The collector will then verify all submitted documents and conduct any inquiries necessary to determine the applicant's suitability.

"The Collector shall verify the documents submitted by the applicant, along with the application, conduct such enquiry as he considers necessary for ascertaining the suitability of the applicant, administer the oath of allegiance as specified in the Second Schedule to the Act and satisfy himself regarding the eligibility of the applicant under section 6B," the notification said.

If the collector is satisfied that an applicant is a "fit and proper person", they are authorised to grant Indian citizenship directly. As part of the final steps, the collector must administer the oath of allegiance as prescribed by the Act.

However, the new rules maintain strict requirements for applicants to appear in person.

"In case an applicant fails to appear in person to subscribe the application and take the oath of allegiance despite giving reasonable opportunities, the Collector shall reject the application," said the notified rules.

The government has also rescinded previous orders "except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such rescission".