India unveils rules to implement controversial legislation amending citizenship laws News
Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (India), GODL-India, via Wikimedia Commons
India unveils rules to implement controversial legislation amending citizenship laws

The Indian government unveiled Monday the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 (CAR), in accordance with the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA), which aims to amend the laws governing citizenship in India. The CAA helps persecuted religious minorities gain access to Indian citizenship but specifically excludes Muslim immigrants. The government also stated that the application procedure under the new rules will be entirely virtual, and a web portal will be provided.

The Government of India Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Spokesperson’s X (formerly Twitter) announced that the CAR will be officially notified on Monday, stating:

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will be notifying today, the Rules under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA-2019). These rules, called the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 will enable the persons eligible under CAA-2019 to apply for grant of Indian citizenship. The applications will be submitted in a completely online mode for which a web portal has been provided.

Subsequently, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah shared the CAR and the web portal via his X (formerly Twitter) account. He stated:

The Modi government today notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024. These rules will now enable minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in our nation. With this notification PM Shri @narendramodi Ji has delivered on another commitment and realised the promise of the makers of our constitution to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians living in those countries.

The CAA provides a path to Indian citizenship for undocumented migrants belonging to six religious minorities (Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian) from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered India before 2015. Critics argue that it discriminates against Muslims and violates the secular principles of the Constitution of India.

On Friday, India deported seven Rohingya immigrants to Myanmar for alleged illegal entry into India.

THIS DAY @ LAW

US House voted to impeach President Clinton

On December 19, 1998, a divided US House of Representatives voted to impeach President Bill Clinton on charges of lying under oath to a federal grand jury and obstructing justice in the Monica Lewinsky affair.

Read the Articles of Impeachment.

UK signs Hong Kong over to China

On December 19, 1984, the United Kingdom and China signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which ceded control of Hong Kong to the government of mainland China in 1997. The treaty also ensured that Hong Kong would retain its capitalist and democratic systems for at least 50 years after the transfer of power.