MALDA, Feb. 23: Dr AN Khan Choudhury, who is the elder brother of Malda MP and district Congress president Mr AH Khan Choudhury, is now a proud possessor of an electoral photo identity card (No. JSL-2994127). There is one problem, though. He is not an Indian citizen!
Dr Khan Choudhury, who is still a Swiss citizen, has registered his name in part No. 40, serial number 324, of the English Bazaar Assembly constituency voters’ list, and word is that Mr AH Khan Choudhury has proposed his brother's name as the Congress candidate for the North Malda Lok Sabha constituency in the forthcoming Parliamentary polls.
It is learnt that Dr Khan Choudhury is now trying hard to secure an Indian citizenship.
The matter came to light after the Malda MP, Mr AH Khan Choudhury, wrote to the joint secretary (foreigners) under the Union home ministry on 22 December 2008, regarding his brother's resumption of Indian citizenship under Section 8(2) of the Citizenship Act 1955.
On 2 January, 2009, the joint secretary (foreigners) wrote back, pointing out that under the Citizenship Act, once an Indian citizen renounces Indian nationality, he cannot re-acquire Indian citizenship automatically. He advised that Dr Khan Choudhury apply for Indian citizenship by registration.
While Mr AH Khan Choudhury refused to comment on the matter, Malda district magistrate Mr Sridhar Ghosh, said: “Perhaps the name Abu Naser Khan Choudhury failed to ring a bell among the election officials and they enlisted him as they would any other resident.”
“We have not received any complaint, but if anyone does, we shall inquire into it and ask him (Dr AN Khan Choudhury) to furnish papers to prove his citizenship. If he fails to do so, his name would be deleted from the voters’ list,” he added. n Manas R Bannerjee
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