| Category | Description | Illustration | Case Law |
| Citizens | Enjoy all civil and political rights. | – Articles 15, 16, 19, 29, and 30 are only for Indian citizens.<br>- Right to vote in elections to the Lok Sabha & state legislative assembly.<br>- Right to contest for membership of Parliament & state legislature.<br>- Can hold public offices such as President, Vice President, judges of SC & HCs, governor of states, attorney general of India & advocate general of states.<br>- Article 51A imposes 11 fundamental duties only on citizens. | – |
| Aliens | Do not enjoy all civil and political rights. | – Friendly aliens: Subjects of countries with cordial relations with India.<br>- Enemy aliens: Subjects of countries at war with India. | – |
| Natural Persons | Living human beings. | Examples: Men, women, and children. | – |
| Legal Persons | Entities deemed to exist in the eye of law. | Examples: Corporations, companies, institutions, universities, banks, railways, colleges, temples, hospitals, clubs, idols, etc. | – |
| Article 5 | Persons domiciled in India. | – Born in India.<br>- Either parent born in India.<br>- Resident in India for five years before the commencement of the Constitution. | Pardeep Jain v. Union of India, 1984: Recognizes only one domicile, viz. domicile of India. |
| Article 6 | Persons migrated from Pakistan. | – | – |
| Article 7 | Persons migrated to Pakistan but later returned. | – | – |
| Article 8 | Persons of Indian origin residing outside India (overseas Indians). | – | – |
| Article 9 | No person shall be a citizen of India if they have voluntarily acquired the citizenship of any foreign state. | – | – |
| Article 10 | Continuation of citizenship. | – | – |
| Article 11 | Parliament’s power to regulate citizenship. | – | – |
Acquisition of Citizenship (Citizenship Act, 1955):
- Birth
- Descent
- Registration
- Naturalisation
- Incorporation of territory
Loss of Citizenship (Citizenship Act, 1955):
- Renunciation
- Termination
- Deprivation