Citizenship Bill Returns To House

President Bidya Devi Bhandari has returned the Bill related to an amendment to the Nepal Citizenship Act, 2007 to the House of Representatives (HoR). The Head of State has sent the Bill back to the federal parliament on the 14th day on Sunday after it was forwarded to her for authentication, calling for reconsidering some of the provisions associated with the issuance of citizenship. The President’s move has come in line with Clause 113 and sub-cause (3) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015. The national charter authorises the Head of State to return such Bills to parliament within 15 days of submission. According to the Office of the President, the President has urged the HoR to send the Bill to her after making amendments to it for authentication again. In her suggestion, the President has called on the legislature to study historical aspects of citizenship laws while introducing such legal framework. 

The President has also sought additional clarity on principles of citizenship and called for resolving the issue of naturalised citizenship and the sentiments of Madhes. She has also expressed her concern over the report on citizenship prepared by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee. Besides, she has drawn the parliament’s serious attention towards the provision of self-declaration. Another message from the President is that the Citizenship Bill should be in compliance with the constitutional provision of provincial identity. She has suggested that there should not be delays in formulating citizenship laws as many eligible people have been deprived of citizenship. Her step has drawn mixed reactions from different quarters, including the political parties and civil society members. While the ruling parties have expressed their surprise over the President’s fresh step, the main opposition CPN-UML has welcomed it. Various Madhes-based parties, however, have strongly opposed the return of the Bill to parliament.

The present government had introduced this Bill in the HoR on July 8 after withdrawing the old one. The Lower House of federal parliament passed the Bill on July 22 while the National Assembly endorsed it on July 28. After having verified by Speaker of the HoR Agni Prasad Sapkota on July 31, the Bill was forwarded to the President for authentication. Introduced in parliament in August 2018, the previous Citizenship Bill had failed to move ahead owing to lack of political consensus. However, the Bill had got its various provisions, including the one related to the duration for a foreign woman married to a Nepali man to acquire Nepali citizenship, revised by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee.

It seems that President Bhandari has sought to forge broader consensus on the citizenship that is very sensitive issue from demographic point of view. The President’s move followed requests from different sections of people that the Bill needs to be revised keeping the national interest at the centre.  The ruling alliance is expected to consider the President’s suggestions to reach a common ground. As the House session is going on, the General Secretary at the Parliament Secretariat shall have to apprise the House of this matter. Following this, deliberations on the Bill will begin. If the Bill is sent to the House committee, it will have to submit its report to the House before its endorsement. If it is discussed in the House itself, the endorsement procedures will start. As soon as the Bill gets endorsed, the parliament shall send it to the President for authentication again. Even if the Bill is not revised, the President will authenticate it in the second time.