Collectors of border states to decide citizenship applications under CAA
The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has authorized district collectors in border states to process citizenship applications under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). This move aims to expedite the citizenship process for religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan by bypassing previously slow empowered committees.
Why it matters
This administrative change significantly alters the implementation of the controversial CAA, potentially accelerating the naturalization process for eligible immigrants in sensitive border regions.
NEW DELHI: The ministry of home affairs has notified the collectors across border states/Union territories like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam (except tribal area) Tripura (except tribal area), J&K and Ladakh, as the “competent authority” to receive, scrutinise and dispose of applications for citizenship filed by immigrants belonging to religious minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.Until now, only empowered committees could process and approve applications for citizenship by Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Jain, Buddhists and Parsi immigrants from the three Muslim-majority neighbours.As per the Citizenship (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026, a new sub-rule has been added to Rule 11A, stating that an application for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act , 2019, shall be submitted to the collector concerned in the above states, and an acknowledgment generated electronically in Form IX.“The collector shall verify documents submitted by the…
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