The Citizenship Act was passed in India in 1955. It is an important legislation that governs the acquisition, determination, and termination of Indian citizenship. The act has been amended several times since its inception to address changing circumstances and to keep up with the evolving needs of the country.

Some key features of the Citizenship Act are:

1. Citizenship by birth: A person born in India on or after January 26, 1950, is considered an Indian citizen by birth.

2. Citizenship by descent: A person born outside India on or after January 26, 1950, is considered an Indian citizen by descent if either of the parents is an Indian citizen.

3. Citizenship by registration: Foreigners can acquire Indian citizenship by registration if they satisfy certain conditions, such as having lived in India for a certain period of time and being of good character.

4. Citizenship by naturalization: Foreigners can also acquire Indian citizenship by naturalization if they have lived in India for a certain period of time, renounced their previous citizenship, and satisfied other conditions.

5. Termination of citizenship: Indian citizenship can be terminated if a person voluntarily renounces it, acquires citizenship of another country, or engages in activities that are deemed to be against the interests of India.

The Citizenship Act has been controversial in recent years due to the introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019. The CAA provides a path to Indian citizenship for certain religious minorities from neighboring countries, but has been criticized for being discriminatory and violating the secular principles of the Indian Constitution.