In Nepal, after the promulgation of the constitution in 2015, one of the most contested provisions has been the one on citizenship. A political regime can be called a republic only when its constitution recognises citizenship as a dynamic principle of its organisation and is ‘owned’ by its citizens. Citizens of a republic are both the rulers and the ruled. The significance of citizenship extends far beyond a piece of paper issued by the government on whose basis an individual can get a job or own property.
While citizenship grants privileges and rights, it also binds the citizens with the obligation to obey laws and fulfil their duties and responsibilities. This establishes a reciprocal relationship between the state and the individual, bringing citizens closer to the state and ensuring equal status with respect to their rights and responsibilities. However, in Nepal, many communities such as the Madhesis, women, Dalits, and Janajatis have been kept out of this relation, making them feel deprived of the right and opportunity to be equal and full citizens.
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