OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP OF INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: India has recently initiated the cancellation of registration for over a dozen Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cardholders due to their involvement in pro-Khalistan activities and anti-India propaganda.

Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) 

• About: OCI citizens are of Indian origin but they are foreign passport holders and are not citizens of India.
• Section 7A of the OCI: An applicant is not eligible for the OCI card if he, his parents, or grandparents have ever been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh. 
• Category was introduced by: Government of India in 2005.
• The Government of India via Citizenship (Amendment) Act, of 2015 merged the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) category with the OCI category in 2015.
• MHA Define Eligibility of OCI: A person who: Was a citizen of India on or after 26th January 1950; Was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26th January 1950; or Is a child or grandchild of such a person, among other eligibility criteria.