Bombay HC plays it safe on Sule citizenship

The Bombay high court on Tuesday demanded to know under what law a letter of request could be sent to the consulate general of Singapore seeking documents regarding the citizenship of Supriya Sule (in pic), MP and daughter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

The court asked Mrinalini Kakade, who had filed an election petition challenging Sule’s election in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, to point out the law.

“When the court sends such letters to a foreign authority, it needs to be sure of its legal position. We do not want to err in law,” said justice JH Bhatia.

Kakade had filed an application seeking a summons to be issued to an officer in the consulate general office of Singapore, directing him to produce documents pertaining to Sule’s Singapore citizenship.

She had initially challenged Sule’s election on the ground that the MP owed “adherence and allegiance” to Singapore, where she has purchased property and made investments. According to Kakade, under Singapore law, once a person purchases property there, he or she became a permanent resident of that country. The next hearing is on January 31.