The Indian government has sought another time extension from the parliament for framing the rules to implement the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Home Ministry sources said today.

The ministry has approached Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, through committees on subordinate legislation, and a reply was waiting, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The CAA, passed by the parliament in December 2019 and notified by the government on January 10 last year, gives Indian citizenship to people of six religious minority groups -- Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, and Jains -- who have come to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan due to persecution till 2014.

This is the second time the ministry is seeking an extension of time for making the rules for CAA enforcement.

Earlier, the parliamentary committees on subordinate legislation had given time till April 9 and July 9 of this year for framing the rules.

During the campaign for the recent West Bengal assembly poll, Home Minister Amit Shah had said CAA rules would be framed once the Covid-19 vaccination was over. 

The implementation of CAA was part of Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto in West Bengal.

The passage of CAA in parliament had triggered widespread street protests across India, including in Assam, leaving close to 100 people dead in violence and police firing.

Critics of CAA argue that the amended citizenship law discriminates against people based on religion and violates the constitution.