Hyderabad: The Union home ministry has ruled that TRS Vemulavawada MLA Chennamaneni Ramesh is not an Indian citizen and has dismissed his review application.
Additional secretary B.R. Sharma of the home ministry issued an order dated December 13, dismissing his review application.
The High Court had ruled in 2013 that Mr Ramesh held dual citizenship of India and Germany and declared his election null and void.
He challenged the HC order in the Supreme Court which directed the Union home ministry to inquire into the issue.
The home ministry conducted an inquiry and ruled in August that Mr Ramesh is not an Indian citizen. Mr Ramesh put in a review application, which too has been dismissed now.
The Union home ministry had issued orders that from August 31, 2017, all the benefits and privileges enjoyed by him as a citizen of India shall stand withdrawn.
Mr Ramesh approached the High Court which kept the orders in abeyance in September.
Mr Adi Srinivas, the BJP candidate who lost to Mr Ramesh in 2014, filed the case in court and with the Union home ministry, demanding that Mr Ramesh tender his resignation from membership of the Assembly following the Centre's August 31 order.
During the investigation, it was found that the MLA had German citizenship and had never stayed in India for more than 12 months as required for a foreign national to get Indian citizenship under the Foreigners Act. Mr Ramesh was elected thrice to the Assembly, including in a byelection.
In 2013, the AP High Court quashed his election. Mr Ramesh then approached the Supreme Court and obtained a stay. While the stay order was in operation, he contested the 2014 Assembly election on a TRS ticket and won again. Mr Srinivas then moved the Supreme Court seeking vacation of the stay order.
Mr Ramesh now says he will approach the High Court again against the Union home ministry’s latest orders.
He said, “I got Indian citizenship on February 3, 2009. But the norm of continuous stay in India for 365 days to be eligible for citizenship came into force on February 25, 2009. So, this norm is not applicable to me. Despite this, the union ministry did not consider my argument and has simply gone by the previous report of the enquiry panel. I will seek justice in the High Court and file a petition soon.”
