The Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026 have introduced significant changes to the application process for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders in India. The new rules streamline the submission of citizenship applications through an electronic portal.
Key changes:
- All OCI card registration and renunciation applications must be submitted electronically.
- A minor child cannot hold the passport of any other country while holding an Indian passport.
- The requirement for duplicate document submissions has been removed.
- Registered individuals can receive either a physical OCI card or an electronic OCI (e-OCI).
- OCI applicants must sign a new consent form to utilize the Fast Track Immigration Programme.
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has also taken place across twelve states. This revision has resulted in a net removal of 5.2 crore persons from the electoral rolls.
The last SIR occurred in 2003. In Assam, there are currently 119,570 D voters, with 70,723 women among them as of October 2019. Additionally, around 3 lakh persons were marked as D-voters during the 1997 revision.
The implications of these changes raise concerns regarding voter representation and the role of the Foreigners Tribunal in processing citizenship claims.
