MHA issues first set of citizenship certificates under CAA

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday issued the first set of citizenship certificates to 14 people in Delhi after notifying the rules in March this year. Digitally signed Certificates are also being issued to many other applicants through email, the MHA said in a statement.

"Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla handed over citizenship certificates to some applicants in New Delhi today. The Home Secretary congratulated the applicants and highlighted salient features of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024," said the Home Ministry.

Today in Delhi 300 people are being given citizenship under CAA said Home Minister Amit Shah terming it "the country's law."


Today's move follows through on the BJP government's promises from earlier this year that they would implement the rules before the Lok Sabha elections.

"The CAA is a law of the country and its notification will definitely be issued. It will be issued before the polls. The CAA will be implemented before the elections. No one should have any confusion about it," Shah had said at the ET NOW Global Business Summit 2024, in February.

An integral part of the BJP government's 2019 election manifesto, these rules seek to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants - Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians - from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who had come to India till December 31, 2014.

The Parliament approved the CAA in December 2019, with the Act subsequently getting Presidential assent from then-President Ram Nath Kovind. However, the rules under this law are only now being implemented.