No Deadline to Decide Rahul Gandhi’s Citizenship Issue, ASG Tells Allahabad High Court
In a notable development, the Central Government informed the Allahabad High Court on May 5, 2025, that no specific time limit has been set to conclude the matter relating to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Indian citizenship.
The submission came during the hearing of a petition filed by BJP Karnataka member S Vignesh Shishir, who alleged inaction by the Central Government on his representation seeking a decision on Gandhi’s citizenship status. A similar petition is also pending before the Delhi High Court, filed by BJP leader and former MP Subramanian Swamy.
Taking note of the Centre’s submission, a division bench of Justices Attau Rahman Masoodi and Rajeev Singh disposed of Shishir’s petition. However, the court clarified:
"The representation, if any, made in the nature of statutory, may be looked into by the competent authority, in accordance with law."
The court had earlier granted the government several opportunities to clarify the status of Shishir's representation. While the government had maintained that the matter was under active consideration, on May 5, Deputy Solicitor General S.B. Pandey submitted that he had no instructions from the Centre to indicate a timeline for a final decision.
Shishir's plea was based on alleged information provided by VSS Sarma, a Canadian national, who claimed to have obtained communication from UK authorities purportedly referring to Gandhi as a British citizen. Shishir had also approached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), urging a formal inquiry into Gandhi’s alleged foreign nationality.
Meanwhile, in the related case, Swamy’s petition before the Delhi High Court also seeks a probe into Gandhi’s alleged dual citizenship. Filed through advocate Satya Sabharwal, the petition refers to a 2019 communication wherein Gandhi reportedly identified himself as a British national to UK authorities—an act which, according to Swamy, contravenes Article 9 of the Constitution and provisions of the Indian Citizenship Act.
On March 26, 2025, the Delhi High Court was informed that the Ministry of Home Affairs was examining Swamy's representation. The case has been listed for further hearing on May 28, 2025.
Case Title: S. Vignesh Shishir Vs. Rahul Gandhi And 13 Others
Download judgment here