The Supreme Court has ruled that the determination of citizenship status in India must adhere to a fair, lawful, and reasoned process, setting aside Gauhati High Court verdicts that had affirmed orders declaring some individuals as foreigners. The court stressed that constitutional protections of equality, life, and personal liberty apply to every person within India's territory.
The US Supreme Court has struck down an executive order by President Donald Trump that sought to restrict birthright citizenship. The ruling reaffirms that the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to all persons born on American soil, including children of undocumented or temporarily present parents. This decision overturns a key policy initiative from Trump's second term.
A clarification by the ministry of external affairs that the passport is not a proof of citizenship has once again brought to the fore the need for a legal framework to provide citizens with a single document to establish they are Indians.
The Gauhati high court observed that merely producing a number of documents does not automatically establish citizenship unless they are legally admissible and capable of proving the person's linkage to Indian ancestors.
Government sources have clarified that a passport has never been considered proof of citizenship in India, a stance consistent for the past 12 years and rooted in the Passport Act 1967. This clarification, reiterated by the Ministry of External Affairs, has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and public figures.
The Allahabad High Court has directed the registration of an FIR against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi concerning allegations of dual citizenship, potentially escalating the legal scrutiny surrounding the opposition leader.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating Form I-485 for permanent residence, effective September 18, 2026, with no grace period for older versions. This change, aligning with public-charge inadmissibility rules, significantly impacts Green Card applicants, particularly Indian nationals facing visa backlogs, who must use the correct form version to avoid rejection.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the TMC of sheltering goons who torture women and promised citizenship to refugees in West Bengal. He highlighted the BJP's commitment to women's security by giving poll tickets to victims of violence.
The Allahabad High Court has requested records from the central government regarding a complaint alleging dual citizenship against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. The order follows a petition challenging the rejection of an FIR request against Gandhi.
The high court granted the petitioner one opportunity to establish her claim to Indian citizenship.
The Trump administration has reinstated and expanded the "public charge" rule, making it harder for immigrants seeking green cards if they have used public benefits like Medicaid, food stamps, or housing assistance. This policy change, effective September 18, will impact many applicants, including those from India, by broadening the criteria for inadmissibility.
The Union Home Ministry has announced changes to the Citizenship Rules, 2009, introducing a digital shift for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders and citizenship applications, including online applications and renunciation processes.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee has commented on the Supreme Court judgment regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, emphasising its specific application to the Bihar case and highlighting the Election Commission's limited authority in determining citizenship.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reinstated officers' authority to deny immigration benefit requests if applicants submit incomplete applications or fail to provide necessary documentation. This new policy, effective immediately, reverses a previous rule that allowed a 12-week response period for requests for evidence, placing the burden squarely on applicants to prove eligibility at the time of filing.
Indian IT companies have significantly reduced their fresh H-1B visa applications for US FY27, a direct consequence of soaring fees imposed by the Trump administration and new lottery system changes that prioritise higher-salaried employees, leading to a seven-year low in registrations.
'One important clarification is that the reported US action is not a blanket cancellation of all US tourist visas.'
As India's decline continued on global indices, the government first blamed methodology and then motives. This is where we remain today as we wish each other and ourselves a happy Independence Day, points out Aakar Patel.
With the duration of stay capped at four years, the biggest impact of the new F-1 visa rules is likely to be on PhD scholars, students enrolled in longer professional programmes, those whose graduation gets delayed and students moving from one academic programme to another, highlight education experts.
The chief minister is 'more upset with the Assam police than with Pawan Khera.'
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's dismissal and arrest on August 9, 1953 marked a decisive shift in the Centre-J&K power equation. Seven decades later, the erosion of the state's special constitutional position culminated in the August 5, 2019 changes, notes Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.
The pleas challenging SIR claimed that the Election Commission does not have powers under Article 326 of the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Rules made under it to carry out SIR in a larger form.
For hundreds of Indian scholars who journeyed to Canada aiming for a foreign degree and a path toward long-term career opportunities, what should have been a triumphant graduation has instead spiralled into deep uncertainty.
The US government on Friday issued a new policy memo tightening rules for foreign nationals on temporary visas seeking permanent residency, stating that persons wanting a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in "extraordinary circumstances".
A coalition of 14 Meitei civil society organisations in Manipur has urged Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to implement a National Register of Citizens before the 2027 Census, arguing it is crucial for resolving the state's ongoing ethnic conflict and identifying 'illegal migrants'.
The US Department of Homeland Security has clarified that not all immigrants seeking green cards will be required to return to their home country to make such applications, partially walking back a previous announcement.
A woman in Goa has been booked for allegedly concealing her Portuguese nationality and fraudulently enrolling in the voter list.
This could come as a setback to thousands of Indian engineers who have waited for years for their work visas to pave the way for the coveted Green Card.
The H-1B visa once symbolised the American Dream for Indians, but today's students are increasingly asking whether they need America at all. In 1995, the question was: How do I get to America? In 2026, it may be: Do I need to?
The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that 217 Indian nationals reportedly joined the Russian armed forces, with 49 fatalities amid the Russia-Ukraine war, and efforts are underway to repatriate those who were misled.
The United Kingdom Border Agency has refused to clarify the exact status of Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik's British citizenship, an issue that resulted in the suspension of his membership of Pakistan's parliament.
Opposition MPs in India have moved notices in Parliament seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of bias, misconduct, and acting under the influence of the executive.
The BJP has accused the Congress-led Karnataka government of supporting Umar Khalid by allowing an event linked to him in Bengaluru, despite objections. The BJP highlighted Khalid's legal status, noting he has not been granted relief by courts in cases related to the Delhi riots and faces charges under the UAPA.
The only thing that might make the BJP stop trying to isolate Muslims completely will be if substantial numbers of the community vote for the party that flaunts its animosity towards it, notes Jyoti Punwani.
A federal judge in Seattle has temporarily blocked former President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to terminate birthright citizenship in the United States, calling the policy 'blatantly unconstitutional', CNN reported.
A BJP government in Bengal inherits more problems than it might care to admit at its moment of triumph, points out Ramesh Menon
The Supreme Court has ruled that no cognisable offence was committed by BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma regarding alleged hate speeches during the 2020 anti-CAA protests in Delhi. The court upheld a previous decision by the Delhi High Court, stating that the speeches did not incite violence or target a specific community.
The BJP's landslide victory in West Bengal has not merely redrawn the electoral map but overturned the operating logic of politics in the state, breaching the TMC's entrenched fortress despite a decade-and-a-half of dominance, minority consolidation, and a sustained "outsider" narrative.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, promising jobs for youths and an 'infiltrator-free' state if the BJP wins the assembly elections. He also pledged to restore industrial glory, end syndicate raj, and ensure women's safety.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the BJP's 47th Foundation Day, highlighting the Uniform Civil Code and 'One Nation, One Election' as key unfinished agendas. He also reaffirmed the party's commitment to implementing women's reservation in the 2029 elections and criticised dynastic politics.
Over 90 former bureaucrats have expressed concern over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, alleging it could disenfranchise voters, particularly the poor and marginalized.
