SC paves way for distribution of citizenship under new Act

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has cleared the path for the execution of the Nepal Citizenship Act (Amendment) Bill.

Earlier, the apex court had issued a temporary interim order instructing the government not to proceed with the execution of the Bill authenticated by President Ram Chandra Poudel. A single bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma had issued the order.

However, a division bench of Justices Anand Mohan Bhattarai and Kumar Chudal decided on Thursday not to continue the order.

The cabinet had forwarded the Bill, which had been approved by the previous parliament, to the Office of the President for authentication. President Poudel had held consultations with legal experts before authenticating the Bill.

According to the constitution, the President must authenticate the Bill endorsed by parliament twice. However, former President Bidya Devi Bhandari chose to block the Bill. But her successor, President Poudel, authenticated it on May 31 – on the same day Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal embarked on a three-day trip to India.

Two senior advocates, Surendra Bhandari and Bal Krishna Neupane, challenged this decision in the Supreme Court. They argued that parliament should not be bypassed on sensitive issues such as citizenship.