Citizenship

 Citizen- A person living in a country who enjoy all the rights provided in the Constitution. 

Citizenship- A person belonging to a country who is legally bound to the State by citizenship laws.

  As per the citizenship laws of Bhutan, there are three ways of becoming a Bhutanese Citizen: 

 1. CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH. 

A person whose parents are both citizens of Bhutan shall be deemed to be a citizen of Bhutan by birth.

 2. CITIZENSHIP BY REGISTRATION. 

A person permanently domiciled in Bhutan on or before 31st December,1958, and, whose name is registered in the census register maintained by the Ministry of Home Affairs shall be deemed to be a citizen of Bhutan by registration.

 3. CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALIZATION. 

A person desiring to apply for Bhutanese citizenship to the Ministry of Home Affairs in Forms KA-1 and KA-2 must fulfil all the following conditions to be eligible for naturalization: 

a) The person must have attained the age of 21 years, and 15 years in the case of a person either of whose parents is a citizen of Bhutan;

b) The person must be mentally sound; 

c) The person must have resided in Bhutan for 15 years in the case of Government employees and also in the case of applicants, either of whose parents is a citizen of Bhutan, and 20 years in all other case, and this period of residence must be registered in the records of the Department of Immigration and Census. 

d) The person must be able to speak, read and write Dzongkha proficiently;

e) The person must have good knowledge of the culture, customs, traditions, and history of Bhutan; 

f) The person must have good moral character and should not have any record of imprisonment for criminal offences in Bhutan or elsewhere; 

g) The person must have no record of having spoken or acted against the King, Country and People of Bhutan in any manner whatsoever, and 

h) The person must be prepared to take a solemn Oath of Allegiance to the King, Country and People of Bhutan according to the prescribed From KHA. 3 On receipt of the application Form KA-1 for naturalization, the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs will take necessary steps to check all the particulars contained in the application. The Ministry of Home Affairs will also conduct written and oral tests to assess proficiency in Dzongkha and knowledge of the culture, customs, traditions and history of Bhutan. The decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs on the question of eligibility for naturalization shall be final and binding. The Royal Government of Bhutan also reserves the right to reject any application for naturalization without assigning any reason.

Courtesy: https://www.bigstockphoto.com

(Courtesy: Bhutan Citizenship Act 1985) 

Domains of Citizenship

1. Civil domain of citizenship

The civil domain of citizenship is the way in which citizens recognise, shape, and pursue community values, relate to the government’s decisions that impact their lives, and how they express their rights. This domain includes the freedom of speech, opinion, and expression; access to information; and the rights to freedom of assembly and association.

The citizenship rights and freedoms are enshrined in the Article 7 & 8 of the Constitution of Bhutan. Besides the rights, citizens have also the duties in  preserving, protecting, and respecting the environment, culture, and heritage of the nation and acting against corruption.

2. Political domain of citizenship

The political domain of citizenship refers to citizens’ ability and skills to participate in the country’s political process. It relates to citizens’ right to vote and elect their representatives at different levels of the government or stand for elections. Political citizenship requires knowledge of the political system and norms, and skills for democratic participation. It is crucial to citizens because it concerns electing the right leaders, holding them accountable, and helping them make the right decisions, or standing for political offices to play leadership roles. This domain is responsible for democratic rights, fairness and justice, and the quality of leadership at all levels of society.

3. Socio-economic domain of citizenship

This domain of citizenship has two aspects – social citizenship and economic citizenship. 

Social citizenship concerns the right of citizens to social security, a safe and secure environment, and the right to live a decent life irrespective of their ability. It is about protecting the weaker and vulnerable sections of society, such as the disabled, the young and old, and the unemployed. Social participation as citizens is important for mutually beneficial social interaction among citizens and equality and quality of life. 

Economic citizenship concerns citizens’ right and ability to participate in the country’s economic activities. It refers to understanding and asserting the rights to economic wellbeing or material comforts of life such as the right to work, right to a minimum daily wage, right to own property, right to practise any lawful trade, and right to equal pay for work of equal value.

4. Cultural domain of citizenship

The cultural domain of citizenship refers to how citizens relate to cultural identities, expressions, and values of society. It concerns the knowledge and understanding of cultural commonality, cultural diversity, and recognition of the rights of minorities. It also concerns the importance and ability to live in a multicultural society and adapt to changing cultural symbols and values. Cultural citizenship requires knowledge and understanding of historical monuments, language and literature, music, the arts, customs, and folklore.

Importance of the citizenship domains

Citizens would not have the knowledge and skills to express themselves effectively without education. The political domain requires knowledge of the political system, democratic attitudes, and participatory skills. The socio-economic domain requires knowledge of social relations in society and social skills; as well as vocational training and economic skills for job-related and other economic activities. The cultural domain requires knowledge of the cultural heritage, history and basic skills such as good literacy skills. Democracy requires the protection of the political and personal rights of citizens, including those in the minority. This depends upon the rule of law (constitutionalism) and civil society.