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2026
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Constitution of India
Part II — Citizenship
Article5

Citizenship at the commencement of the Constitution

At the commencement of this Constitution, every person who has his domicile in the territory of India and— (a) who was born in the territory of India; or (b) either of whose parents was born in the territory of India; or (c) who has been ordinarily resident in the territory of India for not less than five years immediately preceding such commencement, shall be a citizen of India.

In plain languageOrientation

Article 5 deals with citizenship at the commencement of the Constitution. Read the official clauses below for the exact rule, conditions, exceptions, and institutional powers. This overview is an orientation, not a substitute for the constitutional text.

Current official-edition wording. Historical reconstruction is not claimed for this article.

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Part II