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Citizenship applications only on prescribed format

The Ministry of Internal Security referring to media reports regarding a directive issued by the President pertaining to citizenship grant states that the President only stressed on the need for persons of Indian origin to apply for citizenship in the prescribed format.

Issuing a media release in this connection Internal Security Ministry Secretary M. N. Junaid states that President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was only keen on ensuring that the persons of Indian origin eligible to apply citizenship under the Grant of Citizenship to Persons of Indian Origin Act No.35 of 2003 are following the approved format when submitting their applications.

The officially approved application forms were made available with the offices of District Secretaries, Divisional Secretaries and Grama Niladharis closest to places they live. The application form also can be downloaded from the website www.immigration.gov.lk., the release added.

The Format of these applications and declaration forms were also published in the Tamil, English and Sinhala daily newspapers in December 2003.

Refuting comments made in certain media reports, the Ministry states that the intention of the President was not to allow any particular political party to take advantage and gain political mileage in the matter of granting citizenship to persons of Indian origin.

"The President herself had taken a very keen interest during her period of tenure and for which all political parties gave their unanimous support", the release added.

"The President of the view that it is illegal and improper for any single political party to take advantage in view of the fact that several parties had worked tirelessly towards the grant of citizenship to persons of Indian origin", the release added.

The President has also directed the Internal Security Ministry to expedite the process of accepting the declarations and issue the acknowledgement in January.

On this basis the Ministry urges persons of Indian Origin to act quickly and submit their declarations by 30th January 2004. She has also instructed the Ministry to accelerate the process by holding mobile services in the Estates, the release added.

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