The Home Ministry has said its teams have distributed a total of 2,250,869 citizenship certificates to Nepali citizens by mid-April.

According to the ministry, 1,055,869 citizenship certificates have been issued in Terai, 1,022,286 in the hilly region and 173,421 in the mountainous region. The ministry had deployed 586 teams for the nationwide ‘citizenship distribution campaign’ in mid-January following the Parliamentary Proclamation-2063 BS, which vowed to provide eligible Nepali citizens with citizenship certificates before the election to constituent assembly.

In Saptari, Dhanusha, Kailali, Achham, Rautahat, Parsa and Sarlahi districts where the campaign hanged fire due to frequent obstructions, distribution will continue until the end of April while the deadline for citizenship distribution in Humla, Dolpa, Mugu and Mustang districts has been extended by a month.

Speaking at a news conference organised at the ministry today, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Situala claimed that the citizenship distribution campaign was a success.

“Longstanding problem of citizenship has been solved with this successful distribution campaign,” he said, adding, “The distribution process has been objective and realistic.”

Asked about the reports that thousands of Indians obtained Nepali citizenships illegally in Terai districts, Situala said the illegally-procured citizenship certificates would be cancelled and tough legal action would be initiated against anybody found guilty of illegally distributing or procuring citizenships.