The Delhi High Court on Friday called on the Central government to clarify its position regarding a petition by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, which challenges the Indian citizenship of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, has deferred further orders until it receives comprehensive input from the government’s counsel.
During the proceedings, the court showed an initial inclination to issue a formal notice on the petition. However, this was postponed after the Centre’s proxy counsel informed the bench that the government’s previous representative in the case had been appointed as a senior advocate and a new counsel would need time to engage fully in the matter. The hearing has been rescheduled to January 13, 2025.
Swamy’s legal challenge stems from a 2019 communication to the Ministry of Home Affairs, in which he alleged that Rahul Gandhi had declared British citizenship on official documents in the UK. This, Swamy argues, constitutes a voluntary renunciation of Indian citizenship under Article 9 of the Constitution, combined with provisions of the Indian Citizenship Act.
Despite multiple representations made to the Ministry to address his allegations, Swamy contends that no substantial action has been taken, nor has there been any formal acknowledgment of his inquiries. His plea presses for an expedited decision from the Ministry on the matter, highlighting the legal and constitutional implications of such dual nationality claims.
