Briefing 
 

Parliament set to denounce India’s new controversial citizenship law 

A resolution expressing serious concerns about India’s new Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be put to a vote on Thursday.

The law, which was adopted by Indian lawmakers in December last year, offers amnesty to non-Muslim irregular immigrants from three countries - Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan - and amends the country’s previous 64-year-old citizenship law, which prohibited irregular migrants from becoming Indian citizens.

The Indian government argues that the law will provide sanctuary to people fleeing religious persecution, while critics say it will marginalise India’s large Muslim minority and undermine the country’s secular constitution.

Combined with a yet-to-be implemented nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC), part of the Indian government’s plan to cement a new citizenship verification process, the law could potentially strip Indian Muslims of their citizenship and would leave them facing an uncertain future.

The new law has prompted widespread protests across India, with many protesters wounded or killed.

Procedure: non-legislative resolution

Debate: Wednesday, 29 January

Vote: Thursday, 30 January