Sakshi had a lovely domestic helper who was really good at her job. It had only been a few months since she started working at Sakshi’s place, and now Sakshi could not imagine her household without this maid. However, the same maid and her family being arrested by the Police alleging that they were illegal migrants and citizens of Bangladesh, shook Sakshi to the core. She had done documentary verification – then how could she be from Bangladesh? Also, if not an Aadhar Card, what is a genuine proof of Indian citizens? If it comes to Sakshi herself, how to prove citizenship in India? Let’s undo the question mark based on recent events.
Government’s Silence on Proof of Citizenship
In recent news reports, it was stated that the Government refrained from specifying valid identification documents for proving citizenship. Hence, if you wish to ask “How to prove citizenship in India?”, the government keeps mum for the time being. The matter sprouted during the questions raised on Bihar voters’ list. The Election Commission has listed eleven (11) documents which can be furnished for people to be included in voter rolls, registered as a voter for upcoming elections.
For registration as a voter in India, the person should be a citizen of India, above 18 years of age, resident of the constituency, and not disqualified as an elector. Since the Election Commission of India has specified documents to be produced in the absence of a voter ID Card, the same may be presumed to be proof of Indian citizenship.
The list of eleven documents is:
- Passport,
- Driving License,
- Service Identity Cards with photograph issued to employees by Central/State Govt./PSUs/Public Limited Companies,
- Passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post Office,
- PAN Card,
- Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR,
- MNREGA Job Card,
- Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour,
- Pension document with photograph,
- Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs, and
- Aadhaar Card.
How to prove citizenship in India? – Bombay High Court’s Take
The Bombay High Court had recently been in news for an order related to documents to prove citizenship in India. The matter pertained to allegations of accused illegally entering India without a valid passport or travel documents. He was also accused of having deliberately suppressing foreign nationality and forging Indian Identity documents including Aadhaar Card and PAN Card. However, evidence reflected digital copies of birth certificates issued by Bangladesh authorities.
The Court firstly clarified that the Citizenship Act, 1955 is the main law for deciding Indian nationality. Referring the the statement of the Court – “Merely having documents such as an Aadhaar Card, PAN Card, or Voter ID does not, by itself, make someone a citizen of India. These documents are meant for identification or availing services, but they do not override the basic legal requirements of citizenship as prescribed in the Act.” This clarified the Court’s views that the answer to “how to prove citizenship of India” does not lie with one or more documents issued by the Government.
How to prove my citizenship in India
As per the provisions of Citizenship Act of 1955, the following documents can be understood as proof of citizenship, unless the Government or Apex Court specifies otherwise:
- Birth Certificate – Citizenship by Birth is clearly provided under the Citizenship Act. Thus, a birth certificate specifying the place of birth, preferably along with details of parent’s citizenship is a valid proof of Indian citizenship.
- Indian Passport – Where there is a foreigner, a passport issued by foreign authority is a proof of their citizenship. Similarly, an Indian passport is a valid proof of citizenship of India.
- Voter ID Card – Only Indian citizens are entitled to vote and choose their representatives in various aspects, be it Municipality, State Legislature, or the Parliament. Thus, a voter ID card issued to people are valid proofs of citizenship.
It may be noted that the list of documents aforementioned is not conclusive, particularly when the person’s foreign nationality is a matter of question. In such a case, all aspects are looked at along with the identification documents.
How to check citizenship status in India
If you have applied for registration as a citizen of India, you may visit the official website at indiancitizenshiponline.com (Click here). The different modes and applications have different links as specified on the home page. Select the suitable one and proceed further with your application details.
Conclusion
What can be calculated by the discussion above is that there is no concrete answer to the initial question – “How to prove citizenship in India?”. All is well until the authorities have suspicion on your citizenship. When that happens, it’s better to keep all the documents in place. Wait and watch until there is a special drive or government initiative to clarify how to prove Indian citizenship.
