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'Trouble proving citizenship after representing India in 3 countries': Ex-envoy to ECI over Punjab SIR
Suri served as India’s ambassador to the UAE and Egypt and high commissioner to Australia.
Former Indian diplomat Navdeep Singh Suri on Sunday questioned the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Punjab, saying he was made to establish his Indian citizenship despite having represented the country abroad.
Suri served as India’s ambassador to the UAE and Egypt and high commissioner to Australia.
In posts on X, Suri wrote: “Dear ECI, sharing my experience with SIR in Punjab. Went to BLO, submitted Voter ID and Aadhaar card, was assured that everything is in order. Got a message today from a volunteer saying some details don’t match with SIR in 2003.”
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He said the BLO asked him to collect a notice and return with unspecified documents to establish his Indian citizenship. “I replied that I was not in India in 2003, so they have asked for my passport as proof,” he said.
“I happen to have documents other than voter ID and Aadhaar card. But can’t help asking: If I have trouble establishing my citizenship after representing India in three countries, what is the fate of the common citizen? Ease of Living, I presume!”
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Suri was unavailable for comment over the phone. When contacted, Amritsar deputy commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh said: “I will get it checked.”
Neither the ECI, the Punjab government nor the Centre had issued an official statement on the matter at the time of filing this report.
The house-to-house enumeration phase of the electoral-roll revision recently concluded in Punjab, with 90.4% of the border state’s registered electors submitting their enumeration forms.
