Panchayat secretary’s cerificate is no proof 

Panchayat secretary’s cerificate is no proof 

Context

Certificates issued by the ‘gaon’ or village panchayat secretary/Executive Magistrate is no proof of Indian citizenship.

Supreme Court clarifies on citizenship

Certificates issued by the ‘gaon’ or village panchayat secretary/Executive Magistrate is no proof of Indian citizenship

Clarification from the SC

It is only a supporting document used for the limited purpose of establishing a linkage between the holder of the certificate and the person(s) from whom legacy is being claimed, the Supreme Court has clarified

What the certificate means?

The certificate merely acknowledged the shifting of residence of a married woman from one village to another

 ‘Two verifications’

• Such proof (of citizenship) will come only if the link between the claimant and the legacy person (who has to be a citizen) is established
• The certificate has to be verified at two stages
• The first is the authenticity of the certificate itself; and the second is the authenticity of the contents thereof.

An exhaustive process

The process of verification, the court said, was bound to be an exhaustive process in the course of which the source of information of the facts and other details recorded in the certificate would be ascertained after giving an opportunity to the holder of the certificate.