New Delhi, May 15: In a historic moment, the first set of citizenship certificates following the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, were distributed today in New Delhi.
Union Home Secretary Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla personally handed over citizenship certificates to select applicants during a ceremony held in the capital city. The event was attended by Secretary Posts, Director (IB), Registrar General of India, and other senior officials.
Congratulating the recipients, the Home Secretary highlighted key features of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, which were notified by the Government of India on March 11, 2024. These rules outline the application process, procedures for processing applications through District Level Committees (DLCs), and the scrutiny and granting of citizenship by State Level Empowered Committees (ECs).
Under these rules, applications have been received from individuals belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. These individuals entered India before December 31, 2014, citing persecution on religious grounds or fear thereof.
The District Level Committees (DLCs), chaired by designated officers, have conducted thorough verification of documents and administered the oath of allegiance to successful applicants. Subsequently, applications meeting the criteria were forwarded to State Level Empowered Committees, led by the Director (Census Operation).
All processing has been conducted through an online portal. The Empowered Committee in Delhi, under the leadership of the Director (Census Operation), scrutinized the applications and approved citizenship for 14 individuals. Accordingly, citizenship certificates were granted to these applicants by the Director (Census Operation).
This significant step marks the beginning of a new chapter for those who have sought refuge in India due to religious persecution, underscoring the nation’s commitment to protecting and supporting persecuted communities.
