KATHMANDU, April 9: Nepali Congress (NC) leader and former home minister Bal Krishna Khand has requested President Ram Chandra Poudel to authenticate the citizenship bill.

He said that by verifying the bill which was passed by both houses of the federal parliament and sent for the second time, President Paudel should make legal arrangements to grant citizenship to the stateless.

Speaking at a press conference organized by Nepal Press Union, Dhanusha in Janakpur on Sunday, Khand drew the attention of the government and political parties to create the necessary environment for the verification of the bill.

According to the constitution, the bill, which was passed by both houses of the federal parliament and sent for verification for the second time, has been stuck in the president's office since former president Bidya Devi Bhandari did not authenticate it. Khand also said that the bill should be verified immediately and the work of providing citizenship to those who have not received citizenship due to lack of law should be started.