CENTRE ISSUES NOTIFICATION ALLOWING NON-MUSLIM MINORITIES OF NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES TO APPLY FOR INDIAN CITIZENSHIP

The Central Government issued a notification whereby allowing non-Muslim minorities of neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh who are presently residing in 13 districts of Gujarat, Chattisgarh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab to apply for Indian citizenship. 

Procedure :

1. The application for registration as a citizen of India shall be made by the applicant online. 

2. It will be verified by the collector or the secretary at the district and state level, and the said report shall be made accessible to the central government on an online portal. 

3. The collector or the secretary, as the case may be, shall make such inquires as he considers necessary and, for that purpose, forwards the applicant's application to agencies for verification and comments as may be required for performing such an inquiry. 

4. The agencies' comments shall be uploaded online by such agencies and accessible to the collector, the secretary, and the central government. 

5. On being satisfied by application, the collector or secretary grants him citizenship of India and issues a certificate of registration or naturalization, as the case may be. It shall be duly printed from the portal and signed by the collectors or the secretary. 

6. The collector and secretary shall maintain a physical register containing the details of the person registered or naturalized as a citizen and provide a copy to the central government within seven days of such registration. 

Author: Papiha Ghoshal