SDPI Chief Calls for Citizenship Act Reform to Ensure Legal Certainty for Every Indian Citizen
M.K. Faizy urges Parliament to clearly define which official documents can legally establish Indian citizenship.
New Delhi: Social Democratic Party of India National President M.K. Faizy has called for a comprehensive amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955, saying the current legal framework leaves many genuine Indian citizens facing uncertainty over their citizenship status despite holding several government issued identity documents.
In a statement, Faizy questioned why citizens who possess official documents such as passports, voter identity cards, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, ration cards and birth certificates can still have their citizenship challenged. He pointed out that these documents are widely accepted by government authorities for services including voting, taxation, banking, education, employment, welfare benefits, travel and property related transactions, yet they do not provide clear legal proof of citizenship.
According to Faizy, this lack of clarity has led to prolonged legal disputes in which technical issues, procedural lapses and missing records are often used to question an individual’s citizenship. While legal remedies exist, he said that approaching High Courts or the Supreme Court is beyond the financial reach of many poor families, especially those living in rural and remote areas.
He argued that the issue is not the absence of identity documents but the lack of a clear legal framework governing citizenship documentation. Faizy said Parliament should amend the Citizenship Act to specify which government issued documents can be accepted as proof of citizenship, define the legal value of each document, outline acceptable combinations of documents and establish uniform procedures across the country.
Faizy also criticised the Union government’s handling of citizenship related issues. He alleged that the Citizenship Amendment Act, repeated discussions on citizenship verification and statements made by senior BJP leaders have created fear and uncertainty among sections of society. He said the government should focus on providing legal clarity and reassuring citizens instead of allowing confusion to continue.
Stating that India has completed nearly eighty years of Independence, Faizy said no genuine citizen should have to live with uncertainty because of an inadequate legal framework. He appealed to Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assemblies and state governments to work together beyond political differences and support a comprehensive amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955.
He added that India needs a transparent, uniform and humane citizenship framework that strengthens public trust, protects constitutional values and guarantees legal certainty for every genuine Indian citizen.