Author(s): Sawan Yadav

Abstract: The twin measures of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, represent a decisive attempt by the Indian State to reconcile questions of sovereignty, national security, and humanitarian obligations within a constitutional framework. While these initiatives have sparked intense legal and political debates, their essence lies in ensuring an orderly and just determination of citizenship, thereby safeguarding both the integrity of the nation and the dignity of genuine residents. The NRC seeks to provide a transparent mechanism to identify lawful citizens, preventing demographic distortions, while the CAA embodies a limited legislative classification aimed at providing refuge to historically persecuted minorities in neighboring nations. Both measures, when interpreted through the lens of salus populi est suprema lex (the welfare of the people is the supreme law) and Article 14’s doctrine of reasonable classification, can withstand constitutional scrutiny if accompanied by robust procedural safeguards, fair hearings, and non-discriminatory implementation. This paper argues that through judicial oversight, federal cooperation, and administrative transparency, NRC and CAA can be operationalized without disturbance, balancing national interest with constitutional morality. The way forward lies not in rejection, but in calibrated application ensuring harmony between security, justice, and humanity.

DOI: 10.22271/27899497.2025.v5.i2b.157

Pages: 137-143 | Views: 388 | Downloads: 184

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