Citizenship Act, 1955 As amended by The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 alongwith Rules, 2009

This 2025 edition of The Citizenship Act, 1955 (Act 57 of 1955) reproduces the statute verbatim and fully incorporates the far-reaching Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (47 of 2019, w.e.f. 10-1-2020) together with the enabling Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 (G.S.R. 172 E, dt. 11-3-2024, w.e.f. 11-3-2024).

The volume also binds in:

• Citizenship Rules, 2009 (G.S.R. 128 E, dt. 25-2-2009)

• Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 (as amended via G.S.R. 868 E, 24-8-2009 & 24-3-2014)

• Notification on Establishment of Empowered Committee under Sec. 6B (1) (S.O. 1533 E, dt. 11-3-2024)

Concise short comments follow pivotal provisions—flagging the 2019 fast-track naturalisation clause for specified communities, the 2024 e-portal procedure, relaxed documentary-proof options, and the continuing framework for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards—while preserving complete Bare-Act integrity for exams and courtroom citation.

Core statutory coverage

• Acquisition of citizenship—by birth, descent, registration, naturalisation, and incorporation of territory.

• Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 provisions—one-time exemption from “illegal migrant” bar and reduced residency (6 years) for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered India on or before 31-12-2014.

• Loss of citizenship—renunciation, termination, and deprivation grounds.

• OCI regime—registration, benefits, reporting duties, and cancellation safeguards.

• National Register of Citizens (NRC) architecture—2003 Rules on house-to-house enumeration and issuance of National Identity Cards.

• Empowered Committee & district-level scrutiny—procedure for processing CAA applications under the 2024 Rules.

• Penalties & appeal mechanisms—false declaration, fraudulent documents, and Central Government revision powers.

This edition is particularly suited for

• AIBE candidates and law students studying constitutional and immigration law.

• Advocates, NGOs, and community-help centres assisting applicants under the 2019–24 CAA framework.

• District collectors, Passport & FRRO officers, and Home-department officials administering registration, OCI processing, or NRC enumeration.

• Policy researchers, journalists, and human-rights analysts tracking demographic, legal, and geopolitical impacts of India’s citizenship policy.

Exact Gazette text · pinpoint explanatory notes · zero superfluous commentary—your fastest route to clarity, authenticity, and practical insight on India’s citizenship regime.