Centre likely to notify CAA rules before announcement of LS poll schedule: Sources

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) The Central government is expected to notify the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) kicks in ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier announced the implementation of CAA before the polls. Now, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is likely to issue the CAA rules before the MCC is enforced.

The CAA aims to provide Indian citizenship to migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan belonging to certain religious communities who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution. An online portal for registrations is reportedly ready, and district authorities have been empowered to grant long-term visas in anticipation of the CAA implementation.

The legislation, enacted by Parliament on December 11, 2019, has sparked widespread protests across the country. The CAA is intended to offer refuge to individuals facing persecution in neighboring countries, as reiterated by Home Minister Shah. He clarified that the act is not aimed at depriving anyone of their Indian citizenship but solely meant to grant citizenship to persecuted individuals.

The Model Code of Conduct, enforced by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to regulate the behavior of political parties during elections, comes into effect with the announcement of the election schedule. Despite concerns and misinformation surrounding the CAA, the government stresses its humanitarian intent in offering refuge to those in need, emphasizing that the legislation is not discriminatory against any specific community.

“There is misinformation and incitement targeting our Muslim brothers regarding the CAA. The CAA is solely meant to grant citizenship to people who sought refuge in India due to persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, and it does not aim to deprive anyone of their Indian citizenship,” Amit Shah reiterated.