MHA seeks another extension to frame rules for CAA; approaches parliamentary committees

The Union Home Ministry has sought more time to frame rules under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) through which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government intends to grant citizenship to non-Musli migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh. For this, the MHA has approached the parliamentary committees.

The CAA was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019, and its received Presidential assent the next day. Later, it was notified by the home ministry. 

As per the Parliamentary Work Manual, the rules for any legislation should be framed within six months of presidential nod or seek an extension from the Parliamentary Committees on Subordinate Legislation, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. So far, the Home Ministry has sought an extension of time to frame rules five times. The fifth extension ended on Monday.

"We have approached the parliamentary committees seeking more time. Hopefully, we will get the extension," a home ministry official told PTI. The Centre has made it clear that the Indian nationality to the eligible beneficiaries of the CAA will be given only after the rules are notified. 

What is Citizenship Amendment Act?

The Citizenship Amendment Act will grant Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities like Sikhs, Hindus, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who fled these countries before 2015 due to "religious persecution or fear of religious persecution". 

After the CAA was passed by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, widespread protests were witnessed in several parts of the country leading to the deaths of nearly 100 people in police firing and related violence. 

Some political parties are also against CAA. Last month, the Centre received resolutions adopted by legislative assemblies of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Kerala and Punjab against CAA, Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai had said. He informed that "Kerala and Rajasthan government have filed suits against the CAA in the Supreme Court under 131." 

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has termed CAA 'Fundamentally anti-national', alleging that the act targets a particular community. "Any law that is seen targeting any community is fundamentally anti-national. They (Centre) should not proceed with it," he said.