The government stated that this is not a new policy and has been the legal position under the Passports Act, 1967for decades. Officials noted that citizenship is determined under the Citizenship Act, 1955, while passports may, in exceptional cases, be issued to non-citizens in the public interest.
The opposition, led by Congress, accused the government of creating uncertainty and laying the groundwork to arbitrarily deny citizenship rights. Several opposition leaders questioned what documents citizens would need to prove their nationality if passports, Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and birth certificates are not considered conclusive proof.
The BJP defended the MEA's clarification, citing existing laws and court rulings that citizenship cannot be established through any single document. The party accused the opposition of spreading unnecessary panic for political gain.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission clarified that passports remain one of the valid documents accepted for voter registration and electoral roll verification, and there has been no change in that policy.
The debate has sparked strong reactions from political leaders, legal experts, and public figures, with critics demanding greater clarity on how Indian citizenship is officially established.
