KATHMANDU, April 9: Rastriya Janata Party Nepal(RJP-N) has expressed dissatisfaction over Supreme Court's stay order asking authorities not to issue citizenship by descent to the offspring of those who were given citizenship by birth. 

Yesterday,  the Supreme Court issued a stay order asking the authorities not to issue citizenship by descent to the offspring of those who were given citizenship by birth through a special one-time decision some 12 years ago until the final verdict. 

According to official records at the Home Ministry, altogether 190,726 individuals had obtained citizenship by birth, based on the special decision.

In the statement, issued by the coordinator of party presidium Sharad Singh Bhandari, the party has commented that the interim order from the apex court would deprive many Nepali citizens obtaining the citizenships and would lead them in the condition of being stateless.  

“We regret the recent interim order, which is against the article 11 (3) of the constitution and the previous verdict given by the Supreme Court itself, and will leave hundreds of Nepali citizens from acquiring the citizenship that will lead to the state of stateless”, the statement reads.

On April 4, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) had issued circulars to all 77-district administration offices to issue citizenship by descent to the children of those obtaining citizenship by birth, as the bill to amend the Citizenship Act is still under discussion in the federal parliament.

However, the apex court on Monday halted the issuance of citizenship for offspring of citizens by birth.

 
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