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Citizenship

                                                                                                       

PART 2 of the Indian Constitution – CITIZENSHIP

                             

 A citizen is a person who enjoys full membership of the community in which he lives.

                             

 Citizens are different from aliens who do not enjoy following fundamental rights – Article 15, Article 16, Article 19, Article 29 and Article 30.

                             

 Citizens alone have the right to hold certain offices such as those of President, Vice – President, Governor of a State, Judge of SC and HC’s etc.

                                                                                                                                                                

Aliens – are non-citizens of the country. They come for a brief visit, work or any other purpose. Aliens are of two types:-

                             
  1.  Friendly Aliens                                  
  2.  Enemy Aliens                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                                       

At the commencement of the Constitution, Citizenship of India was conferred upon the below mentioned people:-

                                  
  1. Persons who are born in India and domiciled in India.                                        
  2. Persons who are not born in India but domiciled in India and have been staying in India for a period of at least 5 years.
                                            
  3.  Persons who are domiciled in India but not born in India but either of their parents were born in India.
                                            
  4.  Persons who are resident in India but they migrated to Pakistan after 1st March 1947 but later
    returned on resettlement permit.
                                            
  5. Persons who were residents of Pakistan but migrated to India before 19 July 1948 or after that date and have been residing in India for at least 6 months
                                            
  6.  Persons who reside outside India but either of parents or grandparents were born in India.                                  
                                                                                                                                                    

Citizenship Act, 1955 (amended in 1986, 1992, 2003 and 2005)

                             

The Act provides for acquisition of Indian Citizenship after the commencement of Constitution in five ways

                             
  1. By Birth - Any person born in India, on or after 26 January 1950 but before the commencement of the 1986 Act on 1 July 1987 is a citizen of India by birth.                                   
  2. By Descent - Persons born outside India on or after 26 January 1950 will be considered as citizen of India if at the time of their birth either of the parents are citizens of India and the parents get the birth registered with the Indian Consulate within 1 year of birth.                                   
  3. Citizenship by Registration – Any Person who is not a citizen of India can apply for apply for registration as a citizen if he satisfies certain criteria mentioned in the Constitution. Applicable basically for PIOs and OCI.
  4. Citizenship by Naturalization - Citizenship of India by naturalization can be acquired by a foreigner who has resided in India continuously for a period of 1 year and prior to this 1 year in the past 14 years the person should have stayed in India for atleast 11 years. Also person should not be a citizen of a country which does not allow Indians to become its citizens by Naturalisation and person should renounce citizenship of parent country.
  5. Citizenship by Incorporation of territory – If any new territory becomes a part of India, the Government of India shall notify the persons of that territory to be citizens of India.                                                                         

         

                                                                                                          

Loss of Citizenship

                             
  1. Renunciation of Indian citizenship - a voluntary act by which a person holding an Indian citizenship gives it up.
  2. Termination – If a Indian citizen voluntarily accepts the citizenship of another country his Indian citizenship stands terminated.     
  3. Deprivation - If a Indian citizen has obtained his citizenship by fraud, or if he has been disloyal to India, or has been residing outside India for seven years continuously, or if he has unlawfully traded or communicated with the enemy during war, or if has been imprisoned within 5 years in any country for a period 2 years after becoming a citizen of India either by naturalization or registration.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Concept of Dual Citizenship - Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)                         

Parliament of India passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2005, which says that all the people of Indian origin in various countries, except in Pakistan and Bangladesh, whose parents/grandparents migrated from India after 26 Jan 1950 or were eligible to become Indian citizens on 26 Jan 1950 or belonged to a territory that became a part of India after 15 Aug 1947, will become eligible to be registered as Overseas Citizen of India.                                  

Special Arrangements made for OCI card holders:-                                           

  1. They are entitled to procuring a multiple entry Lifelong Visa
  2. OCI holders are treated on par with NRIs for economic, financial and educational matters.
  3.  They are also exempt from registration with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) on their arrival in the country and can stay or live for as long as they wish.
  4. OCI cardholders can travel at very short notice and take up assignments in India.
  5.  An Overseas Citizen of India will not enjoy the following rights even if resident in India:-
                                      
    1. The right to vote,                                        
    2. The right to hold the offices of President, Vice-President, Judge of Supreme Court and High Court, Member of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Legislative Assembly or Council,
    3. Appointment to Public Services (Government Service)                    
Salient Features of the Indian Constitution
The Union and Its Territory
Fundamental Rights
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