NEW DELHI, March 18 -- The Constitution of India grants citizenship through birth, descent and migration. Religion was never a criterion. The various provisions for the grant of citizenship are codified in Articles 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. They reflect the basic secular character of the Constitution of India. According to The Citizenship Act 1955 enacted by Parliament, religion is not a criterion to regulate the grant and termination of citizenship. However, with the Amendment and Rules, citizenship will be granted solely based on religion.

The CAA 2019 facilitates the grant of citizenship to persecuted minorities, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian illegal migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who entered India ...