A passport has never been considered proof of Indian citizenship and no fresh decision has been taken on the document by the Narendra Modi government in the last 12 years, government sources said on Thursday, according to PTI.
The clarification came after reports quoting Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) officials stated that a passport is a travel document and does not by itself establish citizenship.
Sources said the position was not a recent change.
“It was not decided yesterday that the passport is not a proof of citizenship. It was not even decided in the last 12 years. The passport has never been a proof of citizenship,” a government source said, according to PTI.
Officials cited the Passport Act, 1967, saying passports are travel documents and can, in certain circumstances, be issued even to non-citizens.
MEA's clarification triggered political reactions, with opposition leaders questioning what documents would then serve as proof of citizenship.
Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra criticised the statement, saying on X, “It would seem that the only proof of Indian citizenship today is to be both Hindu and a BJP voter. Nothing else will do.”
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also raised questions over the issue, posting on X, “Which document then is proof of citizenship? BLO can doubt my citizenship. Deprive me of my vote. Result BJP wins the election. Over to Supreme Court!”
Lyricist Javed Akhtar also criticised the clarification, calling it “absurd” and questioning how passports could be issued without verification of citizenship.
Government sources referred to judicial observations, including a 2013 Bombay High Court ruling, to state that a passport is not conclusive proof of citizenship.
The issue has also featured in discussions around electoral roll revisions. The Supreme Court has observed that Aadhaar is not conclusive proof of citizenship and is primarily an identity document.
In 2019, the Press Information Bureau (PIB), while issuing an explainer on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), said citizenship is determined under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship Rules, 2009.
Under Indian law, citizenship can be acquired through five routes — by birth, descent, registration, naturalisation and incorporation of territory.
(With PTI inputs)
