Renunciation of Indian citizenship

• IAS NEXT, Lucknow
• 03, Dec 2021

Reference News:

More than six lakh Indians renounced citizenship in the past five years, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Lok Sabha.

• The reason for a large number of Indians surrendering their citizenship was not stated in the reply.

The citizenship act, 1955 prescribes three ways of losing citizenship:

1. By renunciation:

Any citizen of India of full age and capacity can make a declaration renouncing Indian citizenship

• Such a declaration may not be accepted during war.
• Even the minor children of the person who renounces citizenship stands to lose their Indian citizenship. However, when their children attain the age of eighteen, he may resume Indian citizenship.
• By termination:

If a citizen of India voluntarily acquires the citizenship of another country, then he loses the citizenship of India However, this provision does not apply during times of war.

• By deprivation:

Compulsory termination of Indian citizenship by the Central government, in the following conditions:

• Obtained the citizenship by fraud.
• Citizen has shown disloyalty to the Constitution of India.
• Citizen has unlawfully traded or communicated during the times of war.
• Within 5 years of naturalization, the said citizen is imprisoned for a term of two years.
• Citizen has been ordinarily resident out of India for a period of 7 years.