Home Secretary hands over citizenship certificates to some applicants

The Home Secretary highlighted the salient features of the new rules and congratulated the new citizens on their successful applications.

Today in New Delhi, the first set of citizenship certificates under the newly notified Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, was issued by Union Home Secretary Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla. The ceremony, marking a significant implementation step of the rules, saw the Home Secretary handing over certificates to several applicants from religious minority communities.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, which were officially notified on March 11, 2024, outline the application procedures and frameworks for processing citizenship applications. These rules are particularly aimed at assisting individuals from Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities originating from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who moved to India due to religious persecution or fear thereof, on or before December 31, 2014.

The process involves District Level Committees (DLCs), chaired by Senior Superintendents of Post or Superintendents of Post, who are responsible for the initial verification of documents and administering an oath of allegiance. These applications are then processed online and forwarded to the State Level Empowered Committees (ECs) for further scrutiny. In Delhi, the EC is headed by the Director of Census Operations.

Today's event also included an interactive session attended by the Secretary of Posts, Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Registrar General of India, and other senior officers. The Home Secretary highlighted the salient features of the new rules and congratulated the new citizens on their successful applications.

The Director (Census Operations), leading the Empowered Committee in Delhi, officially granted citizenship to 14 applicants after their successful verification and processing. This step reflects the government's commitment to providing relief to those who have sought refuge in India under dire circumstances.

The implementation of these rules is a crucial development in India's citizenship laws, providing a structured and streamlined process for individuals facing persecution in their home countries to acquire Indian citizenship.