Government Clarifies Passport Remark, Says It Wasn't New; Cites Law And Bombay HC Ruling On Citizenship

New Delhi: A recent statement by the Ministry of External Affairs in a press briefing has sparked a new debate in the country regarding citizenship documents. The government has clarified that the Indian passport is merely a travel document, not a final proof of citizenship. This has led to growing confusion among the general public as to which documents will be useful if even major government documents like passports and Aadhaar cards fail to meet the citizenship criteria. 

What did the government say?

In its clarification, the government referred to Section 20 of the Passports Act, 1967, which empowers the Central Government to issue a passport or travel document even to a person who is not an Indian citizen under specific circumstances.

“It was not decided yesterday that the Passport is not a proof of citizenship. It was not even decided in the last 12 years," a government official said.

Why the contradiction regarding passport?

It is generally believed that a passport is the most important government document, as the police visit your home before issuing it, review all records, and according to the Passport Act, it is only available to Indian citizens. Despite this, the government does not consider it to be a definitive proof of citizenship. The government argues that if a person obtains a passport fraudulently by providing false information, it can be confiscated or revoked at any time. Therefore, it is considered a means of facilitating international travel, but not a legal document of citizenship.

Which documents fail to prove citizenship?

The documents we consider our identity in everyday life are weak in proving citizenship. For example, the Aadhaar card only provides an address in India, not citizenship. Similarly, the PAN card is used only for tax and income accounting. The ration card is issued to provide benefits of government rations and welfare schemes. Even the voter ID card only confirms your name on the voter list; it is not considered a legal document conclusive of citizenship.

Then on what basis can Indian citizenship be proved?

Whether a person is a citizen of India is determined solely by the provisions of the Citizenship Act of 1955. According to this law, the first and strongest criterion for determining citizenship is the year of birth. Government regulations state that those born in India between January 26, 1950, and July 1, 1987, are directly eligible citizens. Following this, children born between 1987 and 2003 must have one parent who is Indian. Since 2003, these rules have become even stricter, requiring both parents to be Indian.

What is the real certificate of citizenship?

After going through all the rules and verification processes, the most authentic and authentic document is called a Citizenship Certificate. It is issued only after due scrutiny by the country's Home Ministry. If there is ever a need to legally prove citizenship, this Citizenship Certificate issued by the Home Ministry is the most important and final proof.