Citizenship is fundamental to realise the full extent of human rights. Stateless persons suffer from a lack of access to their rights since they are not citizens of any state. Precarious citizens – whose nationality status is in a limbo – stand at the risk of statelessness and erosion of rights. This report aims to comment on and review existing law and policy on statelessness in India. It is divided into three chapters – Status, Detention and SocioEconomic Rights. Each chapter provides a framework of law and policy by examining Indian law, international law and global best practices that India should follow to fulfil its obligations towards precarious citizens in Assam and stateless persons in Indian territory. Each chapter concludes with recommendations to strengthen the existing law and policy.

Centre for Public Interest Law, Securing Citizenship. India’s legal obligations towards precarious citizens and stateless persons, Jindal Global Law School, 2020.