The Delhi High Court has requested the central government to provide an update regarding BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s representation concerning Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Indian citizenship.
In a complaint filed with the Union Home Ministry in 2019, Swamy alleged that Gandhi had identified himself as a British citizen in documents submitted to British authorities. Swamy contended that this declaration contravened the Indian Constitution and the Citizenship Act, suggesting that it amounted to holding a British passport.
During the proceedings, Swamy informed the court that a show-cause notice had been issued to Rahul Gandhi by the government, asking him to clarify his alleged British citizenship. However, he reportedly did not respond, and subsequently, no action was taken by the government.
The court subsequently instructed the Centre’s counsel to provide an update regarding the status of Swamy’s plea and the representation submitted to the ministry. “The prayer is not to decide on the substantive issues of the pending matter. He is only seeking directions on his representations,” the court stated, as conveyed by the Additional Solicitor General.
The matter has been scheduled for March 26, allowing the ASG time to gather the necessary instructions. Swamy, represented by advocate Satya Sabharwal, is seeking a court decision on whether his representation should be classified as public interest litigation (PIL).
In an April 2019 communication to Rahul Gandhi, the Home Ministry informed him of Swamy’s representation and asked for a clarification on the factual position within a fortnight of receipt.
During the recent hearing, a BJP worker from Karnataka, S Vignesh Shishir, who has filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court regarding Gandhi’s citizenship, argued that Swamy’s plea had become irrelevant due to the Centre’s statement before the court. He noted that the Centre had indicated to the Allahabad High Court that it was nearing a decision regarding his representation.
