Overview
- The Ministry of Home Affairs notified the Citizenship (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026 on August 19, 2026, making District Collectors the competent authority to receive, scrutinise and finally dispose of Section 6B citizenship applications.
- The Collector-led system applies to applicants ordinarily residing in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam and Tripura excluding their tribal areas, and the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
- All applications must be filed and processed electronically, and collectors are required to verify documents, carry out necessary enquiries and administer the oath of allegiance.
- Applicants who fail to appear in person to subscribe their application and take the oath after being given reasonable opportunity must have their applications rejected, and all pending cases with Empowered Committees and Designated Officers have been ordered transferred to district collectors.
- Officials say the move is intended to cut bureaucratic layers and speed up grants under the CAA, a change that could shorten processing times but will depend on how quickly district administrations adopt the new electronic and verification procedures.