Allahabad High Court asks Centre to decide on Rahul Gandhi citizenship by December 19

The Allahabad High Court has asked the Union Home Ministry to take a decision on the representation filed by a citizen raising questions about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Indian citizenship.

A Bench of Justice Attau Rahman Masoodi and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi directed that the government should inform the Court about the outcome of the representation on December 19.

The Court passed the interim order on a plea filed by one S Vignesh Shishir who has sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Rahul Gandhi's citizenship.

As per the petitioner, there is evidence to indicate that Gandhi actually holds British citizenship.

During the hearing of the matter on November 25, Deputy Solicitor General of India SB Pandey informed the Court that a representation made by the petitioner on this issue has been received by the Central government and is under process.

The Bench proceeded to adjourn the case and asked the government to inform the Court on what the outcome of the representation is by the next hearing on December 19.

"List this matter on 19th of December, 2024. The outcome of the representation shall be apprised to the Court on the next date of listing," the November 25 order said.

The petition filed by S Vignesh Shishir (petitioner) recounts that one VSS Sarma had sought details about Gandhi's citizenship from the British government in 2022.

The petitioner added that after he requested for such information, Sarma shared confidential emails he had received from the government of the United Kingdom (UK).

The petitioner has alleged that these emails indicate that Gandhi holds British citizenship. However, the plea adds that due to data protection laws in the UK, the authorities there have declined to reveal complete information without a signed letter of authority from Gandhi.

The High Court had in July allowed the petitioner to withdraw a similar plea and granted him the liberty to pursue remedies under the Citizenship Act.

The petitioner later moved the High Court again after he failed to get a reply on two representations be sent by him to the Union Home Ministry.

These representations sought cancellation of Gandhi's Indian citizenship on allegations that the Congress Member of Parliament (MP) held British citizenship.

While Shishir has sought a CBI probe in the matter, the Court earlier clarified that its current focus was solely on whether the Centre had received the representations and what decision or action it proposed to take on these representations.

A similar plea concerning Gandhi's citizenship has been filed before the Delhi High Court as well by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy.

The Delhi High Court has indicated that it would hear the matter only after ascertaining the status of the plea before the Allahabad High Court.

The petitioner, advocate S Vignesh Shishir, appeared in person.

Advocates Anurag Kumar Singh, Kuldeep Srivastava, Kushagra Dikshit and Vijay Vikram Singh also appeared for the Central government.

[Read Order]