The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which officially came into effect on Monday, will not be implemented in the majority of tribal areas in Northeastern states. This exemption applies particularly to regions granted special status under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution.

As per the law, the CAA will not be enforced in Northeastern states where the Inner Line Permit (ILP) is mandatory for visitors from other parts of the country. Currently, ILP is in force in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Manipur.

Tribal areas with autonomous councils established under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution are also excluded from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Such autonomous councils exist in Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura, covering areas like Karbi Anglong, Dila Hasao, and Bodoland Territorial Council in Assam, Garo Hills in Meghalaya, and tribal areas in Tripura.

The CAA aims to grant citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The exemptions ensure a nuanced implementation of the law in consideration of the diverse tribal regions and special status areas in the Northeastern states.

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