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Indian Citizenship: Rights, Duties & Constitutional Framework

 

Indian Citizenship: Rights, Duties & Constitutional Framework #

What is the Distinction Between Citizens and Aliens in Indian Citizenship? #

The Constitution of India provides for a single citizenship for the whole of India. This feature in the Indian Constitution has been adopted from the British Constitution

  • India has two kinds of people:
    • Citizens: Citizens are full members of the Indian State and owe allegiance to it. They  enjoy all civil and political rights. 
    • Aliens: Aliens are the citizens of some other state and do not enjoy all the civil and political rights. 
  • Aliens Categorized into Two:
FRIENDLY ALIENS ENEMY ALIENS
  • Friendly aliens are the subjects of those countries that have cordial relations with India.
  • Enemy aliens are the subjects of that country that is at war with India. 
  • They enjoy lesser rights than the friendly aliens. 
  • They do not enjoy protection against arrest and detention (Art. 22). 
  • The citizens also owe certain duties towards the Indian State: paying taxes, respecting the national flag and national anthem, and defending the country inter alia.
Also Read: UNION COUNCIL OF MINISTERS: ORIGINS, ROLES, AND LEGAL ASPECTS

Empowered Indian Citizenship: Constitutional Rights, Privileges & Civic Duties #

The Constitution confers the following rights and privileges on the citizens of India (and denies the same to aliens):

  • Article 15: Right against discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth 
  • Article 16:  Right to equality of opportunity in the matter of public employment
  • Article 19: Right to freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association, movement, residence and profession 
  • Articles 29 and 30: Cultural and educational rights 
  • Right to vote in elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly.
  • Right to contest for the membership of the Parliament and the state
  • Eligibility to hold certain public offices, that is, President of India, Vice-President of India, judges of  the Supreme Court and the high courts, governor of states, attorney general of India and advocate general of states.
  • Fundamental Duties: Along with the above rights, the citizens also owe certain duties towards the Indian State, for example, paying taxes, respecting the national flag and national anthem, defending the country and so on. 

Do You Know?

In India both a citizen by birth as well as a naturalized citizen are eligible for the office of President while in the USA, only a citizen by birth and not a naturalized citizen is eligible for the office of President.

Also Read: INDIAN CITIZENSHIP: CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS, LEGAL FRAMEWORK, AND RIGHTS & DUTIES OF CITIZENS

Indian Citizenship Framework: Constitutional Foundations and Legislative Dimensions #

  • Constitional Provisions: 
    • The Constitution deals with citizenship from Art. 5 to 11 under Part II
    • It contains neither any permanent nor any elaborate provisions in this regard. 
    • It only identifies the persons who became citizens of India at its commencement (January 26, 1950). 
    • It does not deal with the problem of acquisition or loss of citizenship subsequent to its commencement. 
  • Parliamentary Authority: The Constitution empowers the Parliament to enact a law to provide for such matters and any other matter relating to Indian citizenship. 
    • Accordingly, the Parliament has enacted the Citizenship Act (1955), which has been amended from time to time. 
    • It deals with matters relating to acquisition, determination and termination of Indian citizenship after the commencement of the Constitution.
  • As per Indian Constitution, four categories of persons became the citizens of India at its commencement (January 26, 1950).
Article Description
Article 5: Citizenship at the commencement of the Constitution
  • A person who had his domicile in India and also fulfilled any one of the three conditions
  • If he/she was born in India; or 
  • if either of his parents was born in India; or 
  • if he/she has been ordinarily resident in India for five years immediately before the commencement of the Constitution, becomes a citizen of India.
Article 6: Rights of citizenship of certain persons who have migrated to India from Pakistan
  • A person who migrated from Pakistan to India became an Indian citizen if he or either of his parents or any of his grandparents was born in undivided India and also fulfilled any one of the two conditions
  • In case he/she migrated to India before July 19, 1948, he/she had been ordinarily resident in India since the date of his migration; or 
  • In case he/she migrated to India on or after July 19, 1948, he/she had been registered as a citizen of India. But a person could be registered only if he had been resident in India for six months preceding the date of his application for registration.
Article 7: Rights of citizenship of certain migrants to Pakistan
  • A person who migrated from India to Pakistan after March 1, 1947, but later returned to India for resettlement could become an Indian citizen
  • For this, he/she had to be resident in India for six months preceding the date of his/her application for registration.
Article 8: Rights of citizenship of certain persons of Indian origin residing outside India
  • A person who, or any of whose parents or grandparents, was born in undivided India but who is ordinarily residing outside India shall become an Indian citizen
  • If he/she has been registered as a citizen of India by the diplomatic or consular representative of India in the country of his/her residence, whether before or after the commencement of the Constitution. Thus, this provision covers the overseas Indians who may want to acquire Indian citizenship.

 

Constitutional Dimensions of Indian Citizenship: Articles 9 to 11 and the Citizenship Act (1955) #

  • Article 9: No person shall be a citizen of India or be deemed to be a citizen of India, if he has voluntarily become the citizen of any foreign state.
  • Article 10: Every person who is or is deemed to be a citizen of India shall continue to be such citizen, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament.
  • Article 11: Parliament shall have the power to make any provision with respect to the acquisition and termination of Indian citizenship and all other matters related to it.
  • Accordingly, Parliament has passed the Citizenship Act (1955) which provides for acquisition and loss of Indian citizenship after the commencement of the Constitution.

Conclusion #

In India, Indian citizenship is a fundamental aspect of the legal framework that defines the rights and privileges of individuals. While the Constitution identifies the different categories of citizens, the Citizenship Act of 1955 provides for the acquisition and loss of Indian citizenship through legal provisions.

Also Read: STATE REORGANISATION ACT OF 1956: FEATURES, EVOLUTION AND IMPACT, CULTURAL RECOGNITION

 

Previous Year Questions-Prelims #

Q. With reference to India, consider the following statements: (2021)

  1. There is only one citizenship and one domicile.
  2. A citizen by birth only can become the Head of State.
  3. A foreigner once granted citizenship cannot be deprived of it under any circumstances.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 1 and 3
  4. 2 and 3 

Q. For election to the Lok Sabha, a nomination paper can be filed by (2016)

  1. anyone residing in India.
  2. a resident of the constituency from which the election is to be contested.
  3. any citizen of India whose name appears in the electoral roll of a constituency.
  4. any citizen of India.

 

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 Final Result – CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION, 2023.   Udaan-Prelims Wallah ( Static ) booklets 2024 released both in english and hindi : Download from Here!     Download UPSC Mains 2023 Question Papers PDF  Free Initiative links -1) Download Prahaar 3.0 for Mains Current Affairs PDF both in English and Hindi 2) Daily Main Answer Writing  , 3) Daily Current Affairs , Editorial Analysis and quiz ,  4) PDF Downloads  UPSC Prelims 2023 Trend Analysis cut-off and answer key

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 Final Result – CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION, 2023.   Udaan-Prelims Wallah ( Static ) booklets 2024 released both in english and hindi : Download from Here!     Download UPSC Mains 2023 Question Papers PDF  Free Initiative links -1) Download Prahaar 3.0 for Mains Current Affairs PDF both in English and Hindi 2) Daily Main Answer Writing  , 3) Daily Current Affairs , Editorial Analysis and quiz ,  4) PDF Downloads  UPSC Prelims 2023 Trend Analysis cut-off and answer key

Quick Revise Now !
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD SOON
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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