The Allahabad High Court has granted the central government four weeks' time to decide on the issue of Congress leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship. The Lucknow bench of the High Court, comprising Justice AR Masoodi and Justice Ajay Kumar Srivastava, was hearing a petition alleging Rahul Gandhi had declared himself a British citizen in documents submitted to British authorities. The plea had been filed by Vignesh Shishir, who is from Karnataka and believed to be a worker of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Vignesh claims he has confidential emails from the British government to support his claim.

Case details
The Centre had reportedly sought eight weeks to file the status report. But the court gave four weeks and has set April 21 as the next date of hearing.
A similar case is being heard in the Delhi High Court over a petition filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. The Delhi HC has observed that dual proceedings are taking place in the case (in Delhi and Allahabad), but also questioned the Centre on its apparent inaction.

Congress denies allegations
The Congress party has repeatedly denied allegations of Gandhi holding citizenship of any country other than India.
"Everyone knows Rahul Gandhi is Indian and was born and raised here," Rahul Gandhi's sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has said in the past.