From October 1, birth certificate to serve as single valid document for variety of purposes

Birth certificate news: Soon, the birth certificate will serve as the sole valid document for registration purposes at a variety of offices, including educational institutions, and the authorities dealing with the issuance of the driving license, the electoral roll, and the biometrics-based Aadhaar personal identification programme. In an official notification on Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs said the provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023 will come into force from October 1, 2023.

The Bill, which sought amendment to the 1969 Act, was piloted by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai. The law was passed in both houses of Parliament in the monsoon session and received President Droupadi Murmu's assent on August 11. The amended law empowers the Registrar General of India to establish a national and state-level database of birth and death registrations while simplifying and smoothening the related processes. It will provide for the use of the birth certificate as a single document to prove the date and place of birth of a person born on or after the date of commencement of the Act. The law will eventually ensure efficient and transparent delivery of public services and social benefits, and digital registrations.

The certificate will also be the single document supporting a range of tasks including admission to an educational institution, issuance of a driver's license or a passport, preparation of the voters' list, registration of marriage, and the appointment to a post in central or state government, a local body, a PSU, or a statutory or autonomous body under the central or state government. The registration of birth and death is mandated by law. As per the amended law, The Chief Registrars (appointed by states) and Registrars (appointed by states for local area jurisdiction) will be obligated to share data of registered births and deaths to the national database.  The Chief Registrar will maintain a similar database at the state level.

Earlier, there was a requirement for certain persons to report births and deaths to the Registrar. For isntance, the medical officer in charge of a hospital where a baby is born must report the birth. The new Act adds that the specified persons shall also provide the Aadhaar number of the parents and the informant in cases of births. This provision also applies to the jailor in case of births in a jail, and the manager of a hotel or lodge in case of births in such a place.

The legislation will facilitate the insertion of provisions for digital registration and electronic delivery of certificates of births and deaths for the benefit of the public at large to create a national and state-level database of registered births and deaths which would help in updating other databases resulting in efficient and transparent delivery of public services and social benefits.

The Act also empowers individuals aggrieved by any action or order of the Registrar or District Registrar to appeal to the District Registrar or Chief Registrar, respectively. Such an appeal must be made within 30 days from receipt of such action or order.  The District Registrar or Chief Registrar must give their decision within 90 days from the date of appeal.

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