The Rajya Sabha Tuesday passed a bill seeking to remove a lacuna relating to overseas Indian citizens.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2011, provides for registration of "overseas Indian cardholders" instead of "overseas citizens of India".
It defines an overseas Indian cardholder as a 'person registered as an overseas Indian cardholder' by the central government under Section 7A.
It also provides for registration of a spouse of an Indian citizen, who is citizen of another country and whose marriage is also registered abroad.
But the overseas Indian cardholder will not be entitled to the rights conferred on citizens of the country with regard to equality of opportunity in public employment, for election as President, Vice President and appointment of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts.
The overseas Indian cardholder will also not be entitled to be registered as a voter and cannot become a member of any legislature.
No person who has been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh or any other country as provided for by the government, shall be eligible for registration as an overseas Indian cardholder.
If a person renounces his overseas Indian card, then his minor child shall also cease to be an overseas Indian cardholder.
