Passport has never been proof of citizenship: Govt 

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The Centre government has said that a passport has never been considered conclusive proof of citizenship, seeking to clarify reports that suggested a new position had been adopted by authorities. The government sources said that  no fresh decision had been taken by the Narendra Modi govt and stressed that a passport’s primary purpose is to serve as a travel document.”It was not decided yesterday that the passport is not a proof of citizenship. It was not even decided in the last 12 years. The passport has never been a proof of citizenship,” a government source said on Thursday.The clarification came after media reports quoted officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) as saying that a passport establishes identity for international travel but does not, by itself, determine citizenship status.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission officials today clarified that Indian passports remain one of the 12 valid supporting documents that voters can submit to establish their eligibility for inclusion in the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. According to government sources, provisions under the Passport Act of 1967 allow passports to be issued in certain circumstances to non-citizens, reinforcing the distinction between travel documentation and citizenship.

The issue quickly sparked political debate, with opposition leaders questioning what documents citizens could rely on to prove their nationality.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra criticised the government on social media, suggesting that citizenship verification standards were becoming increasingly unclear.

Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also questioned the implications of the clarification, raising concerns about voter verification and citizenship-related disputes.

Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar described the government’s position as “absurd”, arguing that authorities would ordinarily need to be satisfied about an applicant’s nationality before issuing a passport.

Government sources pointed to earlier legal rulings, including observations by the Bombay High Court in 2013, which stated that a passport is not definitive proof of citizenship.

The debate also echoes broader discussions around citizenship documentation in India. During recent hearings on electoral roll revisions, the Supreme Court observed that Aadhaar serves as proof of identity but is not conclusive evidence of citizenship.

The government has previously maintained that citizenship is determined under the Citizenship Act, 1955, and the Citizenship Rules, 2009. Official guidelines state that citizenship may be acquired through birth, descent, registration, naturalisation or incorporation of territory.