In a significant development in the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, a woman has become the first in Assam to be granted Indian citizenship under the CAA, while two more applicants from the state have also received clearance from the Centre.
According to official sources, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued the citizenship certificates recently, taking the total number of individuals granted citizenship under the CAA in Assam to four so far. The woman, aged around 40, originally hails from Bangladesh and has been residing in Assam for several years after marrying an Indian citizen.
Legal representatives said she had first entered India in 2007 and later settled in Assam. Her initial application under the CAA was reportedly rejected due to jurisdictional issues arising from administrative changes during the delimitation exercise ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. After rectifying the procedural issues and reapplying, her case was finally approved by the Centre.
The other two applicants cleared by the MHA include an elderly man who migrated to India decades ago and has since made Assam his home. Their citizenship was granted following verification of documents and fulfilment of eligibility criteria laid down under the CAA and the Citizenship Act, 1955.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act provides a fast-track route to Indian citizenship for non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, and have faced religious persecution in their countries of origin. The rules for the Act were notified earlier this year, enabling the processing of applications.
Despite the clearance of a few cases, the number of successful applicants in Assam remains low, with several applications still pending. The implementation of the CAA continues to be a sensitive and politically charged issue in the state, which has witnessed widespread protests and debates over concerns related to identity, demography and indigenous rights.
Officials said scrutiny of applications is ongoing and decisions are being taken strictly in accordance with the law.
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