February 26 1947
Home Department
In a Press Note issued on the 23rd July, 1946, it was announced that applications for naturalisation from subjects of European countries, whose naturalisation under the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914, had been suspended during the war, would again be considered. During the intervening period there has been ample opportunity for the submission and consideration of applications from such persons, and in fact a number of foreigners who qualified for naturalisation under the policy then announced have since been naturalised as British subjects under both the British and the Indian Acts. Recently however public feeling has been strongly expressed both in and out of the Legislature against the naturalisation of foreigners as British subjects, and there is a general demand that naturalisation in India should be in terms of Indian and not of British nationality.
The Government of India have accordingly reviewed the position and have decided to suspend the naturalisation in India of foreigners under both the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914, and the Indian Naturalisation Act, 1926, pending enactment of an Indian Nationality Act which is at present under consideration. Foreigners who have already been declared prima facie eligible for naturalisation are not affected by this decision, and the further examination of their cases will proceed, but applications received from foreigners other than those mentioned above will not be considered nor will further action be taken on applications already received from persons not hitherto declared prima facie eligible.
Home Department,
New Delhi, February 26, 1947.