KATHMANDU: The State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of Nepal’s federal parliament has completed deliberations with lawmakers who proposed amendments to the Nepal Citizenship (Second Amendment) Bill, 2081.

According to Committee Chairperson Ramhari Khatiwada, a total of 85 amendments were registered by 46 lawmakers for discussion.

In today’s meeting, Chairperson Khatiwada stated that the committee will now move forward with consultations involving the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), including both current and former presidents, as well as representatives of organizations related to former Gurkha soldiers. These discussions will take place in the committee’s next session.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak urged the committee to finalize the bill quickly and forward it to the Parliament for further proceedings. “This is an extremely sensitive issue. Let us swiftly pass the bill and address the plight of citizens who remain stateless,” Minister Lekhak emphasized.

The bill seeks to amend key provisions in the Citizenship Act of 2063, addressing long-standing issues regarding statelessness, citizenship by descent and naturalization, and rights of Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs), among other matters.

The current deliberations follow years of stalled reform attempts due to political disagreements and legal challenges.