Article 11 of the Constitution empowers which body to regulate the right of citizenship by law?

Explanation

Article 11 is placed in the citizenship provisions of the Constitution and gives Parliament the law-making power over citizenship. The official text says that earlier provisions in this Part do not take away Parliament's power to make any provision on the acquisition and termination of citizenship, and on all other matters relating to citizenship. That is why the answer is Parliament, not an executive or judicial body. The Citizenship Act, 1955 was enacted under this Article, showing how Article 11 works in practice: it authorises Parliament to put the rules of citizenship into law.

Why the other options are wrong

• (A) The State Legislature is not the answer because citizenship is treated here as a matter for Parliament, not for separate State laws.
• (C) The Supreme Court may interpret citizenship law in cases before it, but Article 11 gives the power to make citizenship provisions to Parliament.
• (D) The President is not named in Article 11 for regulating citizenship; the legislative power belongs to Parliament.

Concept

This tests the constitutional distribution of power over citizenship under Part II. It recurs in RAS because citizenship questions often ask who has the authority to make, amend, or apply the legal rules.

Source

• Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India

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