The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is perhaps the most talked about affair after the Ayodhya verdict. The bill, famously known as CAB, has yesterday passed through the crucial Rajya Sabha test. Two days earlier, it was passed by Lok Sabha. The bill now is ready to be presented on the table of President and after his assent the bill will finally become act.
Here is what all that you need to know about the bill:
What is the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 or CAB?
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill proposes to grant citizenship to the non-Muslims Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhist, Jains and Parsis – from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
It grants citizenship to those of the above immigrants who have arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
Importantly, the CAB has set ‘religion’ as the prime parameter in defining the Indian citizenship. Immigrants, who identify themselves with any of the given religions, will be awarded the Indianhood, even if they lack any document to prove their residency.
Who will be called Indian Citizens and who will be not?
Any immigrant who does not belong to the said communities would not be eligible for Indian citizenship.
As per the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, any illegal immigrant from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who belongs to these said communities will not be deported or imprisoned if they are not carrying any valid documents for their residency in India.
Earlier duration of the immigrants’ residency, which was 11 years, has been reduced to five years.
And now immigrants from the three countries and from the mentioned religions, who have entered India before December 31, 2014, would not be treated as illegal immigrants.
Which areas are exempted from the bill’s purview?
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill would not apply to states included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, that means tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura are exempted from the bill.
Moreover, area covered under the Inner Limit notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 has been made neutral under the law.
Thus, states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram along with almost whole of Meghalaya and parts of Assam and Tripura would be out of the purview of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
What CAB has for Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders?
The CAB also makes amendments to provisions related to the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders.
A foreigner may register as an OCI under the 1955 Act if they are of Indian origin (e.g., former citizen of India or their descendants) or the spouse of a person of Indian origin.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill entitles the OCI cardholders to benefits such as the right to travel to India, and to work and study in the country.
The bill amends the Act to allow cancellation of OCI registration if the person has violated any law notified by the Central government.
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