Exclusive - Centre yet to notify CAA rules: Here is what stakeholders say about the delay

"The timing for making rules can certainly be extended because it's necessary to make rules before any Act gets implemented," Bajwa told ETV Bharat. He, however, said that he has not received any communication.

New Delhi: With uncertainty looming large over the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Pratap Singh Bajwa, chairman of the Parliamentary committee on subordinate legislation in the Lok Sabha said the duration to make CAA rules "can be extended".

Earlier, CAA was passed by the Parliament on December 11, 2019 and it received assent from President Ram Nath Kovind on December 12. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in January 2020, notified that the Act will come into force from January 10, 2020. However, the ministry later sought time till April 9, 2021 and then in July 2021 from both the committees of the Parliament to notify the rules which are to be published in the Gazette of India.

"The timing for making rules can certainly be extended because it's necessary to make rules before any Act gets implemented," Bajwa told ETV Bharat. He, however, said that he has not received any communication from the Home Ministry.

When contacted, a senior official in the Home Ministry said the ministry has sought more three more months time recently to make the rules. Asked about the reason behind the delay in framing rules, the official said that the ministry is presently consulting "all the stakeholders". "Moreover, due to the Covid19 pandemic it was not possible to make the rules earlier," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The Manual of Parliamentary Work says that in case the Ministries or Departments are not able to frame the rules within the prescribed period of six months after a legislation is passed, they should seek extension of time from the Committee on Subordinate Legislation stating reasons for such extension which can not be more than for a period of three months at a go.

Once the CAA gets implemented, the central government aims to give citizenship to the members of six persecuted minority communities especially from Hindu, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christian communities who came from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan to India on or before December 31, 2014. Speaking over the issue, Congress MP from Assam Abdul Khaleque said that the central government would definitely frame rules and get it implemented. "The Government is determined to bring this Act in to effect following it's vote bank politics," said Khaleque.