Registration Of Births And Deaths (Amendment) Bill: Explained

The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is aimed at making the birth certificate the only conclusive age proof that can be used as a single document for numerous purposes including the preparation of voters list.

It also has provisions for allowing the birth certificate to be used for admission to educational institutions, issuing driving licence, registration of marriage, appointment to a government job and availing food welfare schemes.

Aadhaar will be necessary to register births (parents) and deaths, according to the proposed legislation.

The Lok Sabha passed the bill during the Monsoon Session on Tuesday.

The bill will help create a database of births and deaths at national and state-level, ensuring transparency in the delivery of public services and social benefits, said Union minister Nityanand Rai.

The amendment will help adding the provisions of digital registration and electronic delivery of certificates, ensuring easy registration of births and deaths. This will help in data sharing with other authorities that maintain databases.

It will also help in issuing passport and Aadhaar number, and avoid multiplicity of documents to prove date and place of birth, according to the government.

The bill will change ordering authority from first class magistrate to the district magistrate of sub-divisional magistrate in the case of delayed information of any birth or death to the registrar.

The bill will facilitate the registration process of adopted, orphan, abandoned, surrendered, surrogate child, and child to a single parent or unwed mother.

Under the proposed legislation, all medical institutions must provide a certificate regarding the cause of death to the registrar and a copy to the nearest relative.

Special sub-registrars can be appointed for speedy registration of deaths and issue of certificates during disasters or epidemics, according to the bill.

For birth registration, the bill provides for the collection of Aadhaar numbers of the parents and informants.

Besides, it also seeks to address the public grievances by an action or order of the registrar or district registrar, and enhance the penalties under the law.