The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court will hear a high-profile case on Monday, focusing on the citizenship status of Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. The court has directed the Central Government to provide a definitive answer on whether Gandhi is an Indian citizen.
In the previous hearing, the bench expressed dissatisfaction with the status report submitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), noting it failed to explicitly answer whether Gandhi holds only Indian citizenship. The court then granted the Centre 10 additional days to file a revised report.
The petition under review alleges that Gandhi holds dual citizenship, specifically that of the United Kingdom, which would disqualify him from serving as a Member of Parliament under Indian law—where dual citizenship is not permitted.
The origins of the controversy trace back to a 2019 notice issued by the MHA following a complaint by former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy, who claimed that Gandhi was a Director and Secretary of a UK-based company, Backops Limited, registered in 2003.
According to Swamy, Gandhi declared “British” nationality in company filings made in 2005, 2006, and again in the 2009 dissolution application for the company. These declarations have fuelled longstanding demands for a probe into the Congress leader’s nationality status.
The counsel for the MHA has requested more time to obtain verifiable data from the UK government regarding Gandhi’s alleged foreign affiliation. The next hearing in the case has now been scheduled for May 5.
The outcome of this case could have far-reaching political implications, especially as India approaches the next electoral cycle with heightened scrutiny on the backgrounds of national leaders.