Nepal, June 28 -- In a significant move toward ensuring equality in citizenship rights, the House of Representatives (HoR) on Saturday passed the Nepal Citizenship (Second Amendment) Bill, 2082 BS by a majority vote. The bill, tabled by Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, seeks to end years of uncertainty for children born to Nepali mothers by allowing them to acquire citizenship in their mother's name-even if their father's identity is unknown.

While presenting the bill, Minister Lekhak stated that this long-awaited legislation addresses legal loopholes and incorporates several landmark court verdicts that had instructed the government to ensure citizenship rights through either parent. He emphasized that the bill will particularly benefit chi...