Govt has accorded priority to authentication of citizenship bill: Minister Sharma

Kathmandu, May 16: Minister for Communication and Information Technology Rekha Sharma has said that the government has accorded priority to authentication of the bill related to citizenship.

Responding to the queries of the journalists during the press meet to unveil Cabinet decision today, Minister Sharma, also the government spokesperson, underlined that the authentication of the bill related to citizenship is an urgent issue of the people rather than of the government as such.

“With regard to the citizenship issue (bill), it is a matter of urgency for the people rather than for the government. There are a considerable number of eligible people by age who have not been able to get citizenship due to the existing legal provisions which has created a lot of problems for them. In lack of citizenship some have been forced to halt studies, some have jobs but not bank account,” said the Minister.

She underscored the need for concluding citizenship bill, which has been endorsed by the parliament twice, at earliest as it was linked with the life of the people.

Minister Sharma also clarified that there is no point in taking exception to the way the President has been consulting with legal experts on the issue of citizenship bill as it falls under his/her jurisdiction.