May 31: President Ram Chandra Poudel on Wednesday morning certified the Citizenship Bill a few hours before Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to New Delhi, according to the President's Office.

The then President Bidya Devi Bhandari put the Citizenship Bill on hold without authenticating it. The government sent the same bill to President Paudel for authentication. It is said that the president authenticated the Bill in accordance with Articles 61 and 66 of the Constitution.

Both the Houses of Parliament had passed the Citizenship Bill on September 5 last year  and the then Speaker Agni Sapkota had sent it to the president for authentication, but Bhandari did not certify it.

Prime Minister Dahal left for Indian on a four-day visit at 1.25 pm on Wednesday.