West Bengal CM promises citizenship for eligible CAA applicants by year-end

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday assured that all eligible applicants under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) would receive citizenship status by the conclusion of 2024. The chief minister stated that his administration has assumed responsibility for accelerating the processing timeline and has initiated administrative measures to address the existing backlog of applications.

Adhikari's announcement underscores the state government's commitment to streamlining CAA implementation, which has remained a key policy initiative since the legislation's passage in 2019. The act provides a pathway to citizenship for persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries, subject to specific eligibility criteria.

The push to clear pending cases reflects growing pressure to expedite citizenship determinations across the region. West Bengal, which shares borders with Bangladesh and has historically received significant migrant populations, has emerged as a focal point for CAA implementation efforts.

The chief minister's timeline suggests administrative coordination across multiple government departments to verify applications and process approvals within the remaining timeframe. Officials have indicated that the state government views timely citizenship conferment as a priority administrative matter for the current fiscal period.