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Citizenship row Chennamaneni to fight it out
In what is termed as a major setback to TRS Vemulawada legislator Chennamaneni Ramesh Babu, the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday clarified that he could not be treated as an Indian citizen. The development comes in the wake of SC directions to the Centre.
Hyderabad: In what is termed as a major setback to TRS Vemulawada legislator Chennamaneni Ramesh Babu, the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday clarified that he could not be treated as an Indian citizen. The development comes in the wake of SC directions to the Centre.
This far since Congress nominee Adi Srinivas, who lost to the then TD candidate Ramesh in 2009 Assembly elections, had moved the High Court contending that Ramesh, who had German citizenship, misled the authorities by submitting false details to get the Indian citizenship.
The bone of contention is that Ramesh was not a citizen of India at the time of filing of nomination papers. This automatically disqualifies being a voter and also from being elected, the petitioner claimed, further contending that his opponent claimed Indian citizenship by furnishing false details about his stay in the country.
His disqualification could lead to byelection.
Speaking to The Hans India, Ramesh Babu said: “It was crystal clear that I complied with the rule position when I applied for the Indian citizenship. There was a change in rule position soon after I got the Indian citizenship.” According to him, he got the Indian citizenship on February 3, 2009 complying with the rule under Section 5(1)f of the Citizenship Act of 1955.
The section says that anyone seeking Indian citizenship should reside in the country for 12 months before the date of application. The rule position was changed on February 25, 2009 with the authorities amending it as “continuously” residing in the country for 12 months.
Since then the case has seen several twists and turns until recently before the Supreme Court finally directed the Union Home Ministry to take a call on it. Earlier, the High Court in 2013 had set aside his election and categorically said that he is not an Indian citizen. Later, Ramesh has secured a stay from the Supreme Court, contested in 2014 and won again.
Against this backdrop, recently the Supreme Court has directed the Central Government to take call on Ramesh’s nationality within three months. Following this, the Home Ministry on Tuesday categorically said that Ramesh continues to be a citizen of Germany, contrary to his claims.
Reacting over the development, Ramesh said: “Will file a revision petition challenging the Home Ministry’s decision.”
He termed it as a turmoil created by the political forcess who have no guts to face him in the people’s court.
