Citizenship Bill passed by Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: A Bill to amend the Citizenship Act, one of the six items on which government had issued ordinances, was today passed by the Lok Sabha.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2015 seeks to remove disparity between Persons of Indian Origin cardholders and Overseas Citizens of India cardholders.

Intervening in the dabate preceding passage of the bill, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said ordinance was promulgated to amend the Citizenship Act as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a commitment in the US and Australia that the two cards will be merged before January 9, the centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi's return to India from South Africa.

A bill was introduced in ther Lok Sabha in the previous session but it could be passed, Singh said defending the ordinance.

Replying to the debate, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju made it clear that India does not have the concept of 'dual citizenship' though most of the countries are veering towards that concept. He said the PIO and OCI cardholders are "close to citizenship status".

He clarified that the amendment bill does not deal with the issue of refugees from Pakistan and Bangladesh and a task force set up in September last is looking into the issue.

He said people who apply for Indian citizenship will now be allowed a 30-day break if they have to leave India for some time and their absence from the country will not affect their application for citizenship.

The House also passed the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill. It was passed by Rajya Sabha earlier. It was brought to the Lok Sabha to correct a patent error in the year -- from 2014 to 2015.