India, Jan. 18 -- This article simplifies and analyses the legality of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) and puts to test some of the claims being made to defend the classification as provided under CAA.
Which Base Law Is This Act Amending?
The Citizenship Act of 1955 is the base law which the 2019 Citizen Amendment Act is incorporating changes into. The original Act states that citizenship may be acquired in India through five methods by birth in India, by descent, through registration, by naturalisation (extended residence in India), and by incorporation of territory into India (by virtue of which residents of the erstwhile States of Hyderabad and Sikkim etc became Indian citizens.)
Status of "illegal migrants" under the Citize...