Kathmandu, June 5: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has urged the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee to conclude the Nepal Citizenship (second amendment) Bill soon.
During a meeting of the Committee held today in Singha Durbar, he called for this, citing the sensitivity of it. The meeting was held with those lawmakers who have proposed the amendments to the Bill.
Committee President Ramhari Khatiwada stressed that clear views from the Ministry of Home Affairs are awaited regarding the citizenship for those in the British Gurkhas and for the Non-Resident Nepalis.
Clarifying the incorporation of the provision of ‘office chief’ in the Bill, he said that it has been proposed to proceed with the issuance of the citizenship from the area administration offices which are not entirely headed by the section officers as the Nayab Subba (non gazetteerd first class officer) serve as the chiefs of such offices.
During the meeting of the Committee under the House of Representatives, Dik Bahadur Limbu, Shobhita Gautam and Bhanu Bhakta Joshi demanded the separate provisions for citizenship for children of the British Gurkhas. They stressed that if offspring of British Gurkhas intent to acquire the citizenship by descent, their request should not be hindered.
They urged the continuation of citizenship by descent for children of Nepalis in British Gurkhas (possessing the citizenship by descent), even though they (latter) have British resident visas or have naturalized citizenship due to their service and contributions in the British Army.
