Allahabad High Court To Review Dual Citizenship Allegations Against Rahul Gandhi

Highlights

   •  The Allahabad High Court is reviewing allegations of dual citizenship against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
   •  The Union government is set to update the court on December 19, following a petition filed by BJP leader Vignesh Shishir.

The Allahabad High Court is currently examining a petition alleging that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi holds dual citizenship. The case, filed by advocate and BJP leader Vignesh Shishir, calls for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter.

The petitioner claims that emails obtained from UK authorities during a previous inquiry by another individual, VSS Sarma, suggest Gandhi may hold British citizenship. According to the plea, Sarma sought clarification from UK officials in 2022. While partial information was provided, further details were withheld due to data protection laws and the absence of authorization from Gandhi.

On November 25, Deputy Solicitor General SB Pandey informed the court that the Union Home Ministry is processing the petitioner’s representation. A bench comprising Justice Attau Rahman Masoodi and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi directed the government to update its response by December 19.

The court emphasized that its current focus is limited to verifying whether the Union government has acted on the petitioner’s representation. Broader allegations or demands for a probe are not under its immediate purview.

The petition was initially withdrawn in July, allowing the petitioner to seek remedies under the Citizenship Act. The revised plea was filed after the petitioner failed to receive a response to two letters sent to the Home Ministry.

As per Article 9 of the Indian Constitution, individuals cannot hold Indian citizenship alongside that of another country. The petitioner argues that Gandhi's alleged British citizenship could disqualify him under Indian law.

A similar case has been filed in the Delhi High Court by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. The Delhi court will address the matter after the Allahabad High Court concludes its proceedings.

The next hearing in the Allahabad High Court is scheduled for December 19, when the government is expected to clarify its stance on the allegations.