The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 has now become an Act after President Ram Nath Kovind’s assent, on Thursday.
The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 9 December with 311 ayes and 80 noes. According to the legislation the bill grants citizenship to the non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who had entered India before 31 December 2014 and will not be regarded as illegal migrants. Subsequently, CAB received 120 ayes and 105 noes in Rajya Sabha on 11 December.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill will not apply to the areas included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution i.e., tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura and also to the areas covered under the Inner Line Permit as notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873. However, concerned that the Act will nullify the provisions of Assam Accord of 1985, there have been intense protests since 9 December, in Assam and Tripura.
On Thursday, amid the massive protests in Guwahati against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, two protesters were killed while many others were injured in the police firing. Curfew, rail/air connectivity cutdown and internet shutdown has been inflicted in many regions.
