Key Facts
- Amendment: Citizenship (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026
- Authority: District Collectors now the key competent authority for CAA applications
- Replaces: Empowered Committees and District Level Committees headed by Designated Officers
- Legal Provision: Section 6B of the Citizenship Act, 1955
CAA Eligibility Criteria
The CAA, 2019 covers:
- Communities: Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian
- Countries of Origin: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan
- Entry Date: On or before 31 December 2014
- Conditions: Must satisfy prescribed statutory conditions
Areas Covered
States:
- Gujarat
- Rajasthan
- Punjab
- West Bengal
- Assam
- Tripura
Union Territories:
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Ladakh
Excluded Areas (Protected Regions)
Section 6B does NOT apply to:
- Sixth Schedule tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura
- Areas covered under the Inner Line mechanism
The 2026 Collector-based arrangement expressly excludes tribal areas of Assam and Tripura.
Powers of the District Collector
The Collector can:
- Receive applications electronically
- Scrutinise and verify documents
- Conduct necessary enquiries
- Assess eligibility under Section 6B
- Administer Oath of Allegiance
- Grant citizenship through registration or naturalisation if satisfied the applicant is a "fit and proper person"
Grounds for Rejection
An application can be rejected if the applicant:
- Fails to appear personally
- Does not subscribe to the application
- Refuses to take the Oath of Allegiance
Despite being given reasonable opportunities.
Significance
- Replaces earlier multi-agency mechanism
- District Collector becomes single-point authority
- Aims to make citizenship processing more direct and efficient
- Pending applications transferred to concerned Collectors
Related Constitutional/Legal Provisions
- Article 11: Parliament has power to regulate citizenship by naturalisation
- Citizenship Act, 1955: Primary legislation governing citizenship
- Section 6B: Specifically deals with citizenship for illegal migrants from specified communities
- Sixth Schedule: Deals with tribal areas in Northeast India
- Inner Line Permit (ILP): System regulating entry into certain protected areas