New Delhi: Even as the extended deadline for framing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 Rules expired on Sunday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is yet to notify the same. When contacted over the issue, officials from the MHA declined to make any comment.
However, when ETV Bharat contacted Balashowry Vallabbhaneni, chairperson of the Subordinate Legislation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee in the Lok Sabha, he said that normally MHA sent communication for extending the timeline for framing Rules. "They may communicate with my office," said Vallabbhaneni.
While Pratap Singh Bajwa, chairperson of the Subordinate Legislation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee in the Rajya Sabha said that he is not aware whether any communication was made from MHA or not.
As per the Manual on Parliamentary Work, "in the case, ministries/departments are not able to frame rules within the prescribed period of six months after the legislation is passed they should seek an 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 time."
The CAA which intends to give Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who have arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014, was passed by the Parliament on December 11, 2019, and the Act was notified on December 12.
In January 2020, the Home Ministry notified that the Act will come into force from January 10, 2020.
Meanwhile, in another development, the Home Ministry has restored the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act ( FCRA) registration of a few institutes and NGOs namely Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi University (DU), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Delhi), Ramakrishna Mission and a few other after they submitted fresh papers to the ministry recently.
Submission of full documents and annual returns is mandatory for all organizations to get an FCRA nod from the MHA.
It was on December 31, the MHA ceased registration of several organizations after they failed to submit required documents to the ministry.
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