The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought yet another extension to frame the rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA). The legislation that fast-tracks citizenship to non-Muslim undocumented migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh has been ineffective since its passage in Parliament four years ago.
The Ministry has written to the parliament committee on subordinate legislation in the Lok Sabha, seeking time till end of September to frame CAA rules, a government official said, adding that the committee had granted the extension. This is the eighth extension sought by the government. The last such request was made by the MHA in January to extend the deadline till June 30.
The Act was passed on December 11, 2019, receiving assent from the President on December 12 the same year. The MHA has notified that the Act will come into force from January 10, 2020.
