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Wednesday, February 18, 2026
TopicCitizenship Amendment Act

Topic: Citizenship Amendment Act

The Citizenship Amendment Act, or CAA, is a law passed by the Indian Parliament in 2019. It aims to amend the country’s citizenship laws, defines illegal immigrants and lays down the rules and prerequisites for applying for Indian citizenship. It allows minorities of six communities, namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians, from India’s neighboring countries — Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh — who entered India before 31 December 2014 to get citizenship more easily on the grounds of religious persecution.


The introduction of this bill led to mass protests from students, civil society, and the opposition parties as religion for the first time was made a test of Indian citizenship. The most notable was a 100-plus day protest in Shaheen Bagh, a working-class Muslim neighbourhood in the country’s capital, New Delhi with Muslim women at the forefront of this protest.


Four years after the CAA’s initial introduction and passing, the rules were brought into effect in March 2024.

‘I don’t know where to go’—persecuted Hindu migrants stuck in between CAA backlog & SIR scrutiny

Bhadra Sinha -
Migrants, recognised by Citizenship Amendment Act as deserving of protection, are worried delays will result in voter cards being cancelled. The Supreme Court will hear their concerns Wednesday.

Dalit Matuas in Bengal are seething. CAA is failing them, and others in Bangladesh

+TFP Deep Halder -
Dalit members of the Matua sect say CAA rules have crushed their citizenship hopes. ‘Fellow Matuas in Bangladesh are being targeted for being Sanatanis.’

How SC’s judgment on Section 6A of Citizenship Act 1955 could impact pending petitions against CAA

Apoorva Mandhani -
Section 6A declares 25 March, 1971, as cut-off date for legalised entry into Assam. Petitioners say CAA against promise made to Assamese people, legitimises migrant entries after as well. 

Don’t forward cases of those covered under CAA to foreigners’ tribunal, Assam govt tells border police

Bismee Taskin -
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claims 8 people have applied for citizenship under CAA so far, adds Bengali Hindus say they are Indian citizens and will move court.

Granted Indian citizenship under CAA, Hindu migrants from Pakistan embrace ticket to ‘freedom’

Mayank Kumar -
Two of the first families to get citizenship under CAA have no regrets about leaving Pakistan despite hardships, but worry about loved ones who are still waiting or left behind.

2 months after CAA rules were notified, home ministry issues first 14 citizenship certificates

Mayank Kumar -
Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla handed out the certificates after a state level empowered committee granted citizenship, based on fulfilment of the terms of the CAA by the applicants.

2 bodies found after anti-CAA rally in Meghalaya, victims beaten to death, reports local media

Karishma Hasnat -
The dead have been identified as L. Esan Sing and L. Sujit Dutta. Both were from 'non-indigenous' communities.

CAA comes not with a bang, but with a whimper. Without NRC, it will fade into academic debate

Shekhar Gupta -
For BJP, CAA was strategic move that did not quite work out because those it would benefit could’ve been accommodated under existing laws, and new entrants would remain excluded.

Indian Muslims should welcome CAA, question those peddling false narratives about it

Amana Begam -
As Indian Muslims, we are blessed to not face persecution that would force us to flee our country. But we must consider the less fortunate Hindu and other minorities in our neighbourhood.

CAA has two agendas. One open and humanitarian, the other less so

Vir Sanghvi -
Not only is CAA discriminatory, but it is 'meant' to be discriminatory. If the government broadens its scope to include Muslims, then the Act becomes politically unpopular and, therefore, pointless.
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