KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has issued an interim order not to implement the Home Ministry’s decision to distribute citizenship on the basis of descent.

Hearing on the writ petition filed by senior advocate Bal Krishna Neupane, a single bench of Justice Purusottam Bhandari ordered the concerned not to implement the Home Ministry’s decision for the time being.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) had last week instructed all district administrations to issue citizenship on the basis of descent at a time when the proposal to amend the Citizenship Act is still sub-judice at the Parliament.

The Home Ministry has cited the Supreme Court (SC)’s verdict to provide citizenship on the basis of a mother’s name and the Nepal Citizenship Act, 2006, Nepal Citizenship Rules, 2006 and the Citizenship Certificate Distribution Procedures Directives, 2006 to issue citizenship.