Centre forms two empowered panels to process CAA applications in West Bengal

In Brief

Two new panels established to process citizenship applications under CAA in West Bengal.

Key Facts

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has set up two empowered committees in West Bengal to process Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) applications, according to The Hindu
• Each empowered committee will be headed by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Secretary to the Government of India, nominated by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, according to The Hindu
• Thousands of people from the Matua community have applied or are being encouraged to apply for citizenship under the CAA, according to The Hindu
• The formation of these panels follows the Special Identification Round (SIR) conducted earlier, according to The Hindu
• The purpose of the panels is to process citizenship applications under the CAA in West Bengal, according to The Hindu

What Happened

According to The Hindu, the Ministry of Home Affairs has established two empowered committees in West Bengal to process citizenship applications under the Citizenship Amendment Act. Each committee is headed by a senior officer nominated by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. The formation of these panels follows the Special Identification Round and includes applications from communities such as the Matua.

Why It Matters

According to The Hindu, the establishment of these panels aims to process citizenship applications under the CAA in West Bengal. The process involves communities including the Matua, who have submitted or are encouraged to submit applications. This development is part of ongoing administrative efforts related to citizenship verification in the state.