Kathmandu– The government has decided to introduce a separate bill on Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) citizenship. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak shared this information on Tuesday during a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee at Singha Durbar.
He said the new act will be drafted to grant NRNs economic, social, and cultural rights. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is leading the drafting process.
The Home Minister Lekhak also clarified that the Nepal Citizenship Act, 2006, is being amended to address the problems of the Gorkha soldiers. He also stated that more debate and discussion are necessary regarding the demands of the Gurkha soldiers
He added that the Gurkha soldiers’ demand is more related to the Constitution than just the Citizenship Act. Due to a lack of consensus among Members of Parliament, he emphasized that the Constitution itself needs to be reviewed.
Gurkha soldiers are demanding the right to retain Nepali citizenship by birth even after acquiring British citizenship.