Bare ActOfficial Text of Article 9
9. Persons voluntarily acquiring citizenship of a foreign State not to be citizens.—
No person shall be a citizen of India by virtue of article 5, or be deemed to be a citizen of India by virtue of article 6 or article 8, if he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of any foreign State.
Article 9 has one clear message: you cannot be loyal to two countries at once.
If a person had voluntarily (by their own choice) taken the citizenship of another country, they could not become an Indian citizen under Article 5, 6 or 8, even if they met every other condition.
The word "voluntarily" matters. Citizenship forced on someone by another country's law without their choice is different from applying for and accepting it.
Article 9 itself covers acquisition before 26 January 1950. For anything after that date, the same idea is applied by Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955: an Indian who voluntarily becomes a citizen of another country stops being an Indian citizen.
🏠 Everyday Analogy
In a cricket match you can bat for only one team. If you have chosen to wear the other team's jersey, you cannot also walk out to bat for India. Article 9 applies the same rule to citizenship.
🇮🇳 Real Indian Example
Suresh, born in Jalandhar, moved to London and took British citizenship in 1948. Even though he was born in India, Article 9 stopped him from becoming an Indian citizen in 1950. Today, Priya from Pune who takes US citizenship loses Indian citizenship under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act and must surrender her Indian passport. She can apply for an OCI card instead.
Quick RevisionKey Points to Remember
- Voluntary foreign citizenship = no Indian citizenship under Articles 5, 6 or 8.
- Applies to acquisition before the Constitution began; later cases fall under Section 9, Citizenship Act, 1955.
- The key word is "voluntarily".
- This is the constitutional basis for India's no dual citizenship policy.
UPSC · State PSC · JudiciaryExam Corner
- Article 9 vs Section 9: Article 9 = before 26 January 1950; Section 9 of the Citizenship Act = after that date.
- Izhar Ahmad Khan v. Union of India (1962): the Supreme Court upheld Section 9 and the rule that obtaining a foreign passport is conclusive proof of having voluntarily acquired that country's citizenship.
- Whether and when an Indian has acquired foreign citizenship is decided by the Central Government under Section 9(2).
- OCI is not dual citizenship. It is a registration scheme with limited benefits.
Practice MCQTest Yourself: Article 9
Under Article 9, a person is not an Indian citizen if he:
Doubts ClearedFrequently Asked Questions
Does India allow dual citizenship?
No. Article 9 (for the period before 1950) and Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (for later cases) mean an Indian who voluntarily takes another country's citizenship stops being an Indian citizen.
Why does the word "voluntarily" matter?
Because Article 9 applies only when the person chose the foreign citizenship. Citizenship imposed by another country without the person's choice is treated differently.
What can a former Indian citizen apply for after taking foreign citizenship?
They can apply for an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, which gives a lifelong visa and other benefits, but not voting rights.