Nepal - September 2022

President Bidya Devi Bhandari refused to ratify proposed amendments to a Citizenship Bill passed by parliament for the second time, despite lacking constitutional grounds to do so, raising fears of a constitutional crisis. The bill provides access to citizenship and voting rights to 500,000 stateless and foreign Nepalis who are currently denied it, such as children with unknown parentage, and has been a hotly contested political issue for several years.  The case is now before the Supreme Court.  

Sources: The Kathmandu Post, Human Rights Watch, Reuters