Indian government: Passport alone does not establish citizenship under law
The Indian government just clarified that having a passport doesn't automatically mean you're an Indian citizen.
This is because, under Section 20 of the Passports Act, 1967, passports can sometimes be given to non-citizens if it's in the public interest.
The move echoes old Bombay High Court rulings from 2013 that said passports aren't enough to prove citizenship.
MEA says passports are travel documents
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, passports are really just travel documents.
BJP Leader Amit Malviya explained that "citizenship is determined under the Citizenship Act, 1955," which means you need proper eligibility and supporting evidence, not just a passport.
The clarification comes as India marked its 14th Passport Seva Divas on Wednesday.
Kapil Sibal questions citizenship proof
Opposition MP Kapil Sibal questioned what counts as real proof of citizenship and raised concerns about voter eligibility.
Meanwhile, BJP's Amit Malviya backed the government's stance, saying citizenship should be established through multiple records and not just one document.