📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Prime Minister's Office
Politics
West Bengal aims to grant CAA citizenship to 250,000 applicants by Dec 31, says CM Suvendu Adhikari
✍️ Indianmasterminds
🗓 06 Nov 2026, 03:16 AM
👁 9
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the state will process citizenship for 250,000 CAA applicants by the end of December.
Kolkata, West Bengal – Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari disclosed that the state government will complete the citizenship process for 2.5 lakh applicants under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by 31 December. The target, set during a press briefing, reflects the administration’s effort to accelerate the final stages of the scheme.
The CAA, enacted by the central government, offers a pathway to Indian citizenship for eligible non‑Muslim refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India before 2015. West Bengal, which hosts a sizable number of such applicants, has been working to verify documents and clear backlogs.
State officials said dedicated teams will be deployed to streamline verification and address pending cases, aiming to meet the December deadline without compromising procedural integrity. The announcement underscores the state’s commitment to delivering on promises made after the Act’s implementation.
If the target is achieved, the beneficiaries will gain full citizenship rights, including access to government services and the ability to vote. The government will monitor progress weekly and release updates on the number of applications cleared.
The CAA, enacted by the central government, offers a pathway to Indian citizenship for eligible non‑Muslim refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India before 2015. West Bengal, which hosts a sizable number of such applicants, has been working to verify documents and clear backlogs.
State officials said dedicated teams will be deployed to streamline verification and address pending cases, aiming to meet the December deadline without compromising procedural integrity. The announcement underscores the state’s commitment to delivering on promises made after the Act’s implementation.
If the target is achieved, the beneficiaries will gain full citizenship rights, including access to government services and the ability to vote. The government will monitor progress weekly and release updates on the number of applications cleared.