London. Legal experts and scholars have demanded that Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs) be granted dual citizenship, including political rights, during a seminar held in the UK.

At a seminar organized by the Society of Nepali Professionals UK in collaboration with NRN UK on Saturday in Woolwich, London, Dr. Om Prasad Gautam, the former General Secretary of the Society, presented a paper stating that nearly 50% of countries worldwide have granted full dual citizenship to non-resident citizens. He mentioned that 78% of countries have accepted immigrants and expatriates as their citizens in some form, while 22% have completely rejected it. He highlighted that 20 out of 48 Asian countries, 23 out of 27 EU countries, 98% of American countries, and most African countries have granted dual citizenship. Citing examples of countries like Somalia, Kenya, Ghana, and South Korea, he argued that dual citizenship is beneficial for the social and economic progress of a nation.

Supreme Court Judge Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma, who participated in the event, presented a paper on “Provisions Related to Non-Resident Nepali Citizenship in Nepal” and stated that in the current context of globalization, Nepal cannot be confined to a geographic boundary alone. He explained that Nepal’s constitution and citizenship laws have made provisions for non-resident citizenship on this basis. He acknowledged that while the provision of non-resident citizenship may not fully address the demands of NRNs, it provides a minimum basis for protecting the rights of Nepalis scattered around the world. He also suggested that efforts should continue to resolve any complexities arising from the implementation of non-resident citizenship.

Advocate Radha Krishna Pathak explained that non-resident Nepali citizenship grants NRNs the right to invest in Nepal, repatriate investments and profits, but limits property purchases. He emphasized that non-resident Nepali citizenship cannot be termed as dual citizenship, as it is a provision to maintain foreign citizenship while granting limited rights in Nepal. “After obtaining non-resident Nepali citizenship, the right to immovable property acquired previously remains intact, and such property can be transferred to heirs or family members,” he added.

Advocate Govinda Belbase pointed out that despite the provision of non-resident Nepali citizenship in Nepal’s Constitution of 2015, there are still numerous practical issues due to the lack of amendments to relevant laws. He also commented on the interpretation issues of citizenship laws in Nepal and the lack of respect for the rule of law. “A sovereign citizen can voluntarily renounce their citizenship, but the parliament does not have the authority to revoke a sovereign citizen’s citizenship. The parliament is like a river, which has the right to fill a pot but does not have the right to dry up the source,” he said.

Addressing the interaction program, Jeet Ranabhat, the Nepali-origin mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, stated that the UK government has provided access to all sectors of the state for immigrant communities, and suggested that the Nepal government should also be liberal in engaging NRNs in Nepal’s development and progress. He also urged NRNs to unite instead of forming factions.

Gajen Katuwal, the president of the Society of Nepali Professionals UK, mentioned that the academic discussion was organized with the aim of advancing the continuity of Nepali citizenship and reaching dual citizenship, in line with the non-resident Nepali citizenship provisions provided by Nepal’s Constitution. He thanked everyone who supported the organization of the program, noting that they had collaborated with NRN UK to convey the conclusions of the discussion to the Nepal government.

The first session was facilitated by Dr. Narayan Bhattarai, while the second session was facilitated by Professor Dr. Tejendra Pherali.