Citizenship revoked,Goa MLA moves Delhi HC

Alleging that Silva registered his birth with the Lisbon government in 2010,and renounced Indian citizenship,a complaint had been filed in January with the home ministry. A similar complaint was filed last year in an election petition before the Bombay High Court Goa Bench. The court had dismissed the petition and directed the complainant to approach the MHA.

Allegations were based on unauthenticated documents8230; lifted from an election petition filed by a losing candidate, said Silvas plea.

Arguing that the November 20 order was passed on the basis of a document from the Lisbon government that a person named Roberto Silva had been registered with the Central Register of Births,in 2010,the MLAs petition,filed through advocate David Rao,said there is nothing to prove he was the same person.

The plea said the Goa government in its reply to the inquiry initiated by the ministry had clearly supported Silva and said no verification had been done. A Goan resident who wishes to get Portugese citizenship has to get the request verified by the local police before the citizenship can be granted. Goa standing counsel V Madhukar also said that there was nothing to show that any verification had been done.

The High Court directed the Goa government not to take action and restrained it from disqualifying Silva till the next date of hearing on Monday.