Barsha Sharma, who recently completed her 12th grade, was denied the citizenship certificate through her mother’s name saying that her mother’s citizenship certificate does not mention her husband’s name on it.

Barsha’s father Manish, who had never acquired the citizenship certificate, died in the year 2007, while her mother Bijaya Laxmi had acquired her citizenship certificate through her maternal lineage under the surname ‘Dudhraj’.  

After the local administration refused to provide her with the citizenship certificate through her mother’s name, Barsha filed a writ petition at the Appellate Court against the decision. A joint bench of district judges Ramkirshna Bhatta and Yamuna Bhattrai, however, gave the verdict in favour of Barsha on Feb 26, directing the Banke District Administration Office to ensure that Barsa gets the citizenship certificate as per her right as a Nepali citizen.  

However, the court directive is yet to be implemented as the Banke DAO appears least interested in implementing it.

“I have reached the District Administration Office with the court directive at least five times in the past, but in vain,” Barsha complained, stating that everytime they refused to grant her the citizenship certificate.

Alleging that the local administration has been indifferent to her plight, Barsha complained that the local administration has been deliberately forcing her to go through unnecessary hassles instead of providing her with the citizenship certificate.

Moreover, things have been further complicated as Bijaya Laxmi, Barsha’s mother, happens to be a migrant worker in Qatar. As Bijaya Laxmi had come to Nepal taking a short leave from work to help her daughter acquire the citizenship, Barsha lamented that her mother’s holiday was about to be over while the process to allow her get the citizenship certificate is yet to be set in motion.

Meanwhile, acting Chief District Officer (CDO) Jiwan Prasad Dulal said that the CDO has already recommended them to move the process of granting Barsha her citizenship certificate forward, stating that they have already registered Barsha’s application along with the court’s directive. And in justification of the DAO’s actions, Dulal said that the process of granting Barsha her citizenship certificate might have been delayed due to “various technicalities”.  

“As a citizenship certificate is a must to enter into civil services, avail government services and carryout financial dealings, I have been deprived of all those facilities apart from losing my five precious years trying to overturn the DAO’s refusal to grant me citizenship certificate as well as lots of money to fight the court battle,” complained Barsha.