President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has issued an ordinance on citizenship. On Sunday, Bhandari issued the Nepal Citizenship (First Amendment) Ordinance 2078 BS. A statement issued by the Office of the President states that the ordinance was issued on the recommendation of the government in accordance with Article 114, Clause 1 of the Constitution.

According to the new ordinance, the children can be given citizenship on the basis of descent if both parents are Nepali citizens. Earlier, the cabinet meeting held on May 20 had decided to bring such an ordinance. Similarly, the ordinance has also included the provision of giving citizenship on the basis of descent in the name of the mother to the child whose father is not identified.

Clause (3) of Article 11 of the Constitution states that the children of a citizen who obtained Nepali citizenship on the basis of birth before the drafting of the Constitution are both Nepali citizens and will acquire Nepali citizenship on the basis of descent after reaching adulthood. Earlier, on August 7, 2018, a bill brought by the government to amend the Citizenship Act 2006 was registered in the Secretariat of the House of Representatives. Thousands of citizens were deprived of citizenship because the children of born citizens did not get citizenship.

After the issuance of the Citizenship Ordinance, JSP Chairman Mahanta Thakur has issued a statement welcoming it. Thakur also expressed confidence that the ordinance would solve the citizenship problem. Similarly, lamps have been ignited in the major cities of Terai Madhes to celebrate the ordinance including Janakpur and Kalaiya on May 23.