Citizenship is a central element of the relationship between the individual and the Indian state. The constitutional framework places citizenship in Part II of the Constitution, while Article 11 authorizes Parliament to regulate the acquisition and loss of citizenship. The Citizenship Act, 1955 subsequently became the principal statutory framework and has been amended at important stages, including 1986, 1992, 2003, 2005, 2015 and 2019. This article traces the historical development of Indian citizenship from the constitutional settlement after Partition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA). Particular attention is given to the movement from a relatively broad birth-based principle toward more conditional rules involving descent, parental citizenship and the status of illegal migrants. The 2003 amendment introduced the statutory concept of an illegal migrant and provided for the National Register of Indian Citizens, while the 2019 amendment created a special naturalisation route for specified religious communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India on or before 31 December 2014. The article also examines the constitutional and political debate surrounding the 2019 amendment, including concerns about equality, religion, migration and the relationship between the CAA and the NRC. It concludes that the history of Indian citizenship reflects an ongoing attempt to balance constitutional inclusion, national security, migration management and humanitarian concerns.

Keywords: Citizenship; Citizenship Act, 1955; Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019; illegal migration; NRC; constitutionalism; India