New Delhi, Jan. 12 -- The Supreme Court has agreed to examine whether India's citizenship law can be interpreted liberally to ease the path to citizenship for children born in India to foreign nationals, including whether such children can be treated as "persons of Indian origin" (PIO) or otherwise granted citizenship by registration.

A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan issued notice on January 8 to the Union government on a petition filed by an 18-year-old girl born and raised in Andhra Pradesh to parents who were US citizens at the time of her birth, though they were residing in the country as Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders. The matter will be heard next on January 30.

The petitioner, Rachita Francis Xavi...