With reference to India, consider the following statements:
- There is only one citizenship and one domicile.
- A citizen by birth only can become the Head of State.
- A foreigner once granted citizenship cannot be deprived of it under any circumstances.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- 1 and 3
- 2 and 3
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct
- The Indian Constitution, though federal in structure with a dual polity of Centre and States, provides for a single citizenship—Indian citizenship. Citizens owe allegiance only to the Union, and there is no concept of separate state citizenship, unlike in countries such as the United States and Switzerland, which follow dual citizenship. Further, India is described as a “Union of States,” where every part of each State is an integral and inseparable part of the country.
- Correspondingly, there is only one domicile—that of India as a whole—and no separate domicile for individual States. As a result, state reorganisation laws cannot restrict a citizen’s fundamental right to reside and settle in any part of the country.
Statement 2 is incorrect
- In India, both a citizen by birth as well as a naturalised citizen are eligible for the office of President, while in the USA, only a citizen by birth is eligible.
Statement 3 is incorrect
- A foreigner who acquires Indian citizenship can be deprived of it under certain conditions as provided by law (e.g., fraud, disloyalty, etc.).
