Allahabad HC junks PIL claiming Rahul Gandhi is British citizen

Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed a PIL which questioned the recent election of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to Lok Sabha alleging he is a British citizen, after the petitioner sought withdrawal of his plea.

"Accordingly, the petition is dismissed as withdrawn with liberty to approach the competent authority under Section 9(2) of the Citizenship Act, 1955 as far as it may be permissible in law," the high court's Lucknow bench said in its order.

The bench of justices Rajan Roy and Om Prakash Shukla passed the order as the petitioner S Vignesh Shishir, after presenting arguments at some length in the court, sought withdrawal of his PIL with the liberty to approach the competent authority under the Citizenship Act 1955 for raising his grievance.

Shishir, who claims to be a farmer from Karnataka and a member of political party, had moved the PIL seeking the issuance of a writ quo-warranto, which is used to challenge a person's right to hold a public office, against Rahul Gandhi.

It alleged Gandhi was a British citizen and was not eligible to contest elections in India.

Gandhi, a former president of Congress, is a five-time MP and the Leader of Opposition in the current Lok Sabha. He represents the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh.