Nation

IIE DIGITAL: The Central government on Wednesday introduced the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, proposing stricter norms for delayed registration of births and deaths. If passed, registrations sought more than two years after the event will require approval from a Judicial Magistrate First Class, replacing the existing administrative process.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai tabled the Bill amid opposition protests demanding the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during the debate on the anti-paper leak legislation. Despite the disruption, the Bill was introduced after no opposition member spoke against its introduction when invited by Speaker Om Birla.

The proposed amendment seeks to strengthen Section 13(3) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, as amended in 2023, with the objective of making delayed registrations more stringent and encouraging citizens to report births and deaths within the prescribed timeframe.

Under the existing law, registrations delayed by more than one year require approval from a District Magistrate (DM), Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), or an authorised Executive Magistrate. The new Bill retains this requirement for registrations made between one and two years after the event. However, for applications submitted after two years, approval from a Judicial Magistrate First Class will become mandatory, introducing greater judicial oversight.

The legislation also requires authorities to verify the authenticity of the reported birth or death before approving registration upon payment of the prescribed fee.

The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, makes registration of every birth and death compulsory in India. Birth and death certificates serve as legal proof of identity and are admissible as evidence in legal proceedings. The Act underwent major amendments in 2023, with the revised provisions taking effect from October 1 that year.

According to the government, the latest amendment is aimed at ensuring timely registration of vital events and strengthening the integrity of the civil registration system. The Bill also updates legal terminology by replacing references to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, with the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The financial memorandum states that implementing the proposed changes will not require any additional expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India.