Citizenship (Amendment) Bill gets President’s assent

According to an official notification, the Act comes into effect with its publication in the official gazette on December 11.

A security man fires tear gas during a curfew in Guwahati on December 12, 2019, following protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

President Ram Nath Kovind on December 12 gave his assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 , turning it into an Act.

According to an official notification , the Act comes into effect with its publication in the official gazette on December 11.

Read: What is the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016?

According to the Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 and facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on December 11 and by the Lok Sabha on December 9.