Delhi HC Asks Centre About Rahul Gandhi's Citizenship Petition in Allahabad

The Delhi High Court has requested the Central Government to obtain the status of a petition regarding Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's citizenship, which is currently pending in the Allahabad High Court. The court emphasized that two courts cannot handle the same issue at the same time.

During a hearing, the bench, led by Chief Justice-designate Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, stated that it is essential to ascertain the status of the Allahabad High Court petition before proceeding. “We read in the newspaper that the Allahabad High Court is also seized of the controversy. Two courts cannot deal with the same issue simultaneously,” the bench noted.

This request came while the court was considering a plea from BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. He has sought directions for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to address his representation requesting the cancellation of Rahul Gandhi's Indian citizenship.

Swamy's plea, filed by advocate Satya Sabharwal, claims that on August 6, 2019, he alerted the ministry, alleging that Gandhi had "voluntarily disclosed" to the British government that he held British citizenship, which implies he possesses a British passport.

During the proceedings, the Centre’s counsel requested additional time to acquire a copy of the petition from the Allahabad High Court. The bench scheduled the next hearing for October 9.

In a related matter, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court inquired whether the Centre had made any decisions regarding a representation filed under the Citizenship Act of 1955. This representation calls for an investigation into claims that Gandhi possesses British citizenship. This inquiry arose from a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by BJP worker S. Vignesh Shishir, who asserted that he had conducted extensive research on the issue and had new findings.

In his Delhi High Court plea, Swamy contends that Rahul Gandhi, as an Indian citizen, has violated Article 9 of the Constitution, in conjunction with the Indian Citizenship Act, and argues that this could lead to the loss of his Indian citizenship. He has expressed frustration that despite submitting multiple inquiries to the ministry regarding the status of his complaint, no action has been taken, and he has not received any updates.

Jammu and Kashmir Elections: Security Tightens Ahead of Second Phase of Polling

'Pappu ke Baare Me Socho' Comment Sparks Controversy: District Magistrate Claims Account Hacked

Dalit Community Plans Nationwide Protest Against Rahul Gandhi's Reservation Comments