Tripura grants CAA citizenship to 2 persons for first time in state
Synopsis
Tripura has become the latest state to formally implement the CAA, issuing citizenship certificates to two residents of North Tripura — the first such grants in the state — out of 23 applications received. The development is a concrete milestone in a law that has been on the books since 2019 but has remained politically charged, particularly in Tripura where it fuelled the rise of a new regional party now in government.
Key Takeaways
Tripura has granted CAA citizenship to two persons for the first time — Jhalak Das Chowdhury and Sima Rani Banik , both residents of North Tripura district .
Approximately 23 applications have been received in Tripura under the CAA; only two have been approved after full verification.
The confirmation was made by Ratan Biswas , Director of Census Operations and Chairman of the State-Level Empowered Committee , on 16 July in Agartala.
The process involves multi-stage scrutiny by the District Level Committee , Intelligence Bureau , Railways, and Department of Posts before digital certificates are issued.
The CAA , enacted in December 2019 and notified as rules on 11 March 2024 , covers six non-Muslim minority communities who migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan before 31 December 2014 .
The Act remains politically sensitive in Tripura, having contributed to the rise of the Tipra Motha Party , now an alliance partner of the BJP -led state government.
Tripura has, for the first time, granted Indian citizenship to two persons under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), marking the legislation's formal implementation in the state amid a continuing nationwide debate over the documentary requirements for establishing Indian citizenship. The development was confirmed by Ratan Biswas, Director of Census Operations and Chairman of the State-Level Empowered Committee (SLEC) constituted to process CAA applications in Tripura.
How Many Applications Were Received
According to Biswas, approximately 23 applications have so far been received in Tripura under the CAA. Of these, only two have been approved after the completion of the prescribed multi-stage verification process. He made the disclosure at a press conference in Agartala on 16 July, which had been convened primarily to brief the media on the upcoming Census 2027. Responding to questions in his capacity as the competent authority overseeing CAA applications, he confirmed the grant of citizenship certificates to the two applicants.
How the Verification Process Works
The entire application process under the CAA is conducted online through the Central government's designated portal. Each application is first scrutinised by the District Level Committee (DLC), which calls applicants for physical verification of documents before forwarding cases for further examination.
Verified applications are then examined by the SLEC, which includes representatives of the state government and officials from central agencies — the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Railways, and the Department of Posts. Citizenship certificates are issued digitally only after all mandatory verifications, security checks, and scrutiny are completed in accordance with Central guidelines.
Who Received Citizenship
According to official sources, both beneficiaries are residents of North Tripura district. They have been identified as Jhalak Das Chowdhury and Sima Rani Banik. Following the grant of citizenship, Jhalak Das Chowdhury reportedly met the District Magistrate of North Tripura to complete subsequent formalities for obtaining an Aadhaar card and other identity documents.
Background: What the CAA Provides
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, enacted by Parliament in December 2019, provides a fast-track route to Indian citizenship for eligible members of six non-Muslim minority communities — Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians — who migrated to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan before 31 December 2014, after allegedly facing religious persecution. The Centre notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2024 on 11 March 2024.
Political Flashpoint in Tripura
The legislation had triggered widespread protests across several parts of the country, including Tripura, where many indigenous tribal organisations opposed the Act, expressing concern that its implementation could alter the state's demographic composition and adversely affect indigenous communities. The issue subsequently became one of the most significant political flashpoints in the state and is credited with contributing to the rise of the Tipra Motha Party, which is currently an alliance partner of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Tripura.
With the first two citizenship certificates now issued, attention will turn to how the remaining applications in Tripura are processed — and whether the pace of approvals accelerates as the verification machinery becomes more established.
Point of View
Not at scale. That restraint may be deliberate: the state government is balancing CAA implementation against the sensitivities of its alliance partner, the Tipra Motha Party, whose political base is rooted in indigenous concerns about demographic change. The law has been on the books since 2019, rules were notified in March 2024, and yet the numbers remain minimal. Nationwide, the gap between the political symbolism of CAA and its on-the-ground implementation has rarely been examined — Tripura's figures offer a rare, concrete data point in that audit.
NationPress
17 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the first two persons to receive CAA citizenship in Tripura?
The two beneficiaries are Jhalak Das Chowdhury and Sima Rani Banik, both residents of North Tripura district. They received their citizenship certificates after completing the full multi-stage verification process under the CAA.
How many CAA applications have been received in Tripura so far?
Approximately 23 applications have been received in Tripura under the CAA, of which only two have been approved as of 16 July. The remaining cases are at various stages of verification.
What is the process for granting citizenship under the CAA?
Applications are submitted online through the Central government's designated portal. Each case is first reviewed by the District Level Committee, which calls applicants for physical document verification. Cleared applications then go to the State-Level Empowered Committee — which includes officials from the Intelligence Bureau, Railways, and Department of Posts — before a digital citizenship certificate is issued.
What is the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and who does it cover?
The CAA, enacted in December 2019, provides a fast-track route to Indian citizenship for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians who migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Afghanistan before 31 December 2014, after allegedly facing religious persecution. The implementing rules were notified by the Centre on 11 March 2024.
Why is the CAA politically sensitive in Tripura?
Many indigenous tribal organisations in Tripura have opposed the CAA, fearing it could alter the state's demographic balance and harm indigenous communities. The controversy contributed to the rise of the Tipra Motha Party, which now serves as an alliance partner of the BJP-led state government.
