Shashi Tharoor wades into passport-citizenship debate. Here's his solution

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has waded into the ongoing debate on whether a passport constitutes proof of citizenship, urging the Centre to reform the legal framework and recognise both the passport and Aadhaar as valid proof of Indian citizenship.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP also suggested that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) introduce a visually distinct Aadhaar card for non-citizens, given that the card can currently be issued to any resident after 182 days of stay in India.

“This dual-document policy would immediately streamline domestic verification, eliminate arbitrary bureaucratic challenges during electoral revisions, and provide every Indian with absolute, unquestionable legal certainty regarding their identity,” he wrote on X.

The debate gained momentum after the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that while the passport is issued exclusively to Indian citizens, it does not in itself establish citizenship. The clarification, which came on the 14th Passport Seva Divas on June 24, sparked wider discussion on what constitutes conclusive proof of nationality.

Tharoor argued that a clear distinction between citizen and non-citizen Aadhaar cards would allow the state to mandate either a standard Aadhaar or a valid passport as sufficient and compulsory proof of citizenship for Indian nationals.

He also questioned the logic of official documents not being treated as conclusive proof of citizenship, noting that the passport has traditionally been regarded as the “gold standard” of identity due to the rigorous verification process involved in its issuance.

“We navigate the gruelling bureaucratic maze of police verifications and document checks required to obtain one, precisely because the state demands concrete proof of citizenship before granting it,” he wrote on X.

Reacting to the Ministry’s position that a passport is not proof of citizenship, Tharoor asked that if a document issued after such rigorous vetting does not establish citizenship, then what does.

While acknowledging that Section 20 of the Passports Act, 1967 allows the government to issue passports to non-citizens in exceptional cases, he said this distinction has limited practical relevance for ordinary citizens.

He also noted that the Supreme Court has held Aadhaar to be proof of identity and residence, but not citizenship, creating what he described as an administrative grey area for millions of Indians.

“This leaves millions of Indians in a bizarre administrative limbo where they possess world-class biometric and state-issued documents, yet none are legally deemed ‘conclusive’ proof of their nationality within their own borders,” he said.

To address this, Tharoor called for a legislative overhaul to make both Aadhaar and passports valid proof of citizenship unless explicitly revoked by the state. He further proposed that UIDAI introduce a clearly distinguishable Aadhaar format for non-citizens to better separate residents from citizens.

Responding to an X user who urged him to raise the issue in the Lok Sabha rather than confining it to social media, the diplomat-turned-politician said he intended to do so in due course.

Given his extensive experience as a UN diplomat and later as Minister of State for External Affairs, Tharoor’s comments have added weight and credibility to the ongoing debate.

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