Jhapa, April 18

A long queue of people aspiring to get citizenship certificate built up in front of Jhapa District Administration Office from early morning today.

Following the Supreme Court’s verdict that cleared the way for providing citizenship certificate by descent to children born to parents possessing Nepali citizenship by birth, people aspiring for the document had lined up at the DAO from as early as 8:00am.

Saroj Mehara of Jhapa Rural Municipality, who had travelled 50 km from his village to the DAO, said he was happy with the court’s verdict. “As I heard about the court’s verdict and that the distribution of citizenship certificates had resumed, I came here to procure the citizenship certificate,” said Mehara.

Chief District Officer Janakraj Dahal of Jhapa said his office has started distributing citizenship certificates by descent following due process recommended by the home ministry.

Earlier, the home ministry, on April 2, had sent a circular to all district administrations across the country directing them to distribute citizenship certificates by descent.

Though citizenship certificate distribution went ahead as per the circular, it had stalled after three days following the interim order of the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, the court issued a verdict upholding the home ministry’s circular to distribute citizenship certificates.