President issues ordinance on citizenship

KATHMANDU: President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has issued a citizenship ordinance. She issued the Nepal Citizenship (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2078 BS on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. 

With this ordinance, the children of those who have obtained Nepali citizenship by birth (including bona fide citizens) of Nepal will be issued citizenship by descent. Similarly, those children whose mothers are Nepali citizens but fathers are not identified can also be granted a Nepali citizenship. 

A bill to amend the Citizenship Act was under consideration in the parliament. There was a dispute in the then Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) over whether to give citizenship by descent to the children of those who had obtained citizenship by birth. 

An agreement was reached between the government and the People’s Socialist Party to amend the Citizenship Act through an ordinance. Accordingly, the government had recommended bringing an ordinance after passing this citizenship bill. 

The PSP and the government have agreed to amend the constitution. For that, a five-member constitution amendment study has been prepared.