MHA constitutes two state-level empowered committees in West Bengal to process citizenship applications

As per an order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the committees will be headed by officers not below the rank of deputy secretary to the Central government, and these officers will be nominated by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.

Each empowered committee will comprise an officer in the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau not below the rank of under secretary to the Central government, an officer not below the rank of under secretary to the Central government to be nominated by the jurisdictional Foreigners Regional Registration officer concerned, an officer not below the rank of under secretary to the Central government to be nominated by the State Informatics Officer of the National Informatics Centre of the state of West Bengal, the post master general of the state of West Bengal, or a postal officer nominated by the post master general not below the rank of under secretary to the Central government.

In addition to the designated members, certain officials will participate as invitees to the empowered committees. These include a representative from the office of the Principal Secretary (Home) or the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) of the government of West Bengal and a representative of the jurisdictional Divisional Railway Manager of the Railways.

The order further clarifies that all other terms and conditions will remain the same as those provided in the earlier notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs dated March 11, 2024.

Officials said the constitution of these empowered committees forms part of the administrative mechanism laid down under the Citizenship Act and the accompanying rules for processing applications and related matters under Section 6B. They also said the move is "aimed at ensuring structured scrutiny and inter-departmental coordination in handling cases under the specified provisions of the law."

The order states that "the decision has been taken in exercise of the powers conferred under sub-section (1) of Section 6B of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955), read with sub-rules (1) and (3) of Rule 11A of the Citizenship Rules, 2009."

The constitution of the committee is part of the procedural framework under Section 6B of the Citizenship Act, which relates to the processing and grant of citizenship applications under specified provisions of the amended law.

Section 6B was inserted into the Citizenship Act, 1955, through the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA). The amendment provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who migrated to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution.

To operationalise the law, the Centre notified detailed rules in March 2024 outlining the application process, scrutiny mechanism, and the role of district-level and state-level authorities.

The Empowered Committees are key bodies responsible for examining applications, verifying documents, and making recommendations regarding the grant of citizenship.

West Bengal, which shares a long international border with Bangladesh and has historically witnessed migration flows, is considered one of the key states where applications under Section 6B are expected.

The formation of these committees ensures administrative coordination between intelligence agencies, census authorities, foreign registration officials, postal authorities and state representatives for verification and due diligence.

Last month, the MHA had also constituted an empowered committee for West Bengal for processing and granting of citizenship applications under specified provisions of the amended law. The committee will be headed by the Deputy Registrar General, Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal.

It will comprise senior officers from key central agencies, including: an officer from the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau not below the rank of Deputy Secretary to the Government of India; an officer not below the rank of Under Secretary, nominated by the jurisdictional Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO); an officer not below the rank of Under Secretary, nominated by the State Informatics Officer of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), West Bengal; the Postmaster General of West Bengal or a Postal Officer nominated by the Postmaster General, not below the rank of Deputy Secretary to the Government of India.

Additionally, representatives from the office of the Principal Secretary (Home) or Additional Chief Secretary (Home) of the West Bengal government, and a representative of the jurisdictional Divisional Railway Manager, will serve as invitees to the committee. (ANI)