Centre notifies CAA rules ahead of Lok Sabha elections

The Union Home Ministry notified the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rules on March 11.

The rules were notified before the Model Code of Conduct comes into force ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.  The legislation was cleared by Parliament four years ago. Union Minister Amit Shah said in February this year that the CAA would be implemented before the Lok Sabha elections.

The CAA seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees who faced persecution on grounds of their religion in three neighbouring countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014. These include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians. The legislation, however, excludes Muslims.

Shah had said in Rajya Sabha that the legislation is aimed at giving a dignified life to these people who suffered religious persecution for decades by granting Indian Citizenship to them if they fulfil the criteria for the grant of citizenship.

The legislation drew criticism from the Opposition since it excludes Muslims. The Centre had defended the opposition charge by saying that since Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are Muslim-majority countries, Muslims are "unlikely to face religious persecution" there.