Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that the Bill to amend the Citizenship Act-2063 BS (2006) aims to recognize the mother as the primary patron of a child, granting her the right to solely declare and assume responsibility for the child.
Responding to concerns raised during the theoretical discussions on the Nepal Citizenship Bill-2081 BS at the Legislation Management Committee under the National Assembly today, the Minister said, "The objective of the Bill is to ensure the mother’s full rights to pass on citizenship to her child, provided she declares that the child's father cannot be presented."
He added that the provision does not seek to grant rights exclusively to mothers. "If the mother's declaration is found to be false, the Bill includes provisions for legal inquiry and penalty as well," he clarified.
The Minister highlighted that, due to the absence of citizenship, many children are facing serious challenges in their education and career development.
Regarding naturalized Nepali citizenship, the Bill has sought the mother's declaration that her child has not acquired citizenship of a foreign country based on the father’s nationality. Under the current law, only the individual applying for naturalized citizenship is required to make such a declaration.
In regard with the naturalized citizenship, the existing provision is that "A child born to a Nepali female citizen through marriage with a foreign citizen, residing permanently in Nepal, may be granted naturalized citizenship as prescribed, provided the child has not acquired foreign citizenship through the father."
The Bill has also proposed that a child is eligible for obtaining citizenship in the mother’s name if the father is dead or not supporting the child in acquiring citizenship, or is married to another person. "We have simplified the procedures for transferring citizenship in the mother's name," Minister Lekhak said.
He also reminded the committee of the Supreme Court's directive to the government regarding the issuance of citizenship in the mother’s name.
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