SC declines urgent hearing of PIL on Rahul Gandhi citizenship

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hold an urgent hearing of a PIL seeking CBI probe into the allegation that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had declared himself a British national in the documents filed before the registrar of companies in Britain.

"There is no urgency in the matter," the bench headed by Chief Justice H.L. Dattu said as PIL petitioner advocate Manohar Lal Sharma mentioned the matter for an urgent hearing.

Sharma urged the court to direct the CBI to investigate the matter and submit the report of its investigation only to the apex court.

Accusing Rahul Gandhi of becoming the Lok Sabha member by holding back the information that he was once a citizen of Britain, Sharma said it amounted to cheating with the electoral process.

Sharma said no one with foreign nationality could become the member of any legislature in India.

Sharma also sought to know when Rahul Gandhi gave up his British citizenship and had acquired the Indian nationality.

The petitioner has also sought direction to the Election Commission that it should ask every candidate aspiring to contest election to file an affidavit stating that he or she is a citizen of India and same should be backed with documentary proof.