Shimla. Himachal Pradesh High Court has given an important decision regarding Indian citizenship. Justice Sandeep Sharma of Himachal Pradesh High Court, after hearing the case of passport application of a woman named Sheetala Devi, said that under Section 3 of the Citizenship Act 1955, anyone born in India between 26 January 1950 and 1 July 1987 will be considered an Indian citizen. Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered the state government to issue a new police verification report in two weeks in the case of Shitala Devi's passport application.
Sheetala Devi is a resident of Patlikuhal in Kullu district of Himachal. He had applied for a passport. The regional passport office in Shimla refused to grant passport to Sheetala Devi citing adverse police report. In the report, Himachal Police had described Shitala Devi as a citizen of Nepal. In the report of Sub Divisional Magistrate of Manali also quoting Tehsildar and Gram Panchayat it was said that Sheetala Devi and her family are permanent residents of Nepal. Whereas, in an earlier police investigation, the local Panchayat head had declared Sheetala Devi to be an Indian citizen. The Panchayat Pradhan had confirmed that Shitala Devi and her family live in Patlikuhal.
Sheetala Devi filed a petition in Himachal Pradesh High Court over non-issuance of passport. He also presented the birth certificate issued by the Panchayat. In the birth certificate, Shitala Devi's birth is mentioned on 3 May 1972 in Patlikuhal. Himachal Pradesh High Court said that after the new police verification report, the passport officer can further consider Sheetala Devi's application. Let us tell you that the Ministry of External Affairs had said a few months ago that citizenship is not determined by passport. The Ministry of External Affairs had described the passport as only a travel document. After which many questions were raised that what is the certificate of citizenship?