A recent error by the Belagavi City Corporation, where a death certificate was wrongly issued, has sparked controversy within the civic body over the past two months. In response to this and similar incidents, the state government has rolled out stricter rules to improve transparency and accuracy in birth and death records.
Highlights of the Revised Rules
- Timely Reporting: All government and private hospitals must promptly register births and deaths and submit details without delay.
- SMS Alerts: Correct mobile numbers of applicants must be entered in the e-Birth software, enabling automatic SMS confirmation once the registration is approved.
- Updated Forms: The Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Bengaluru, has instructed registrars to use new application forms to enhance accuracy.
- Aadhaar Verification: For death registration, only the deceased’s Aadhaar card will be accepted. Earlier misuse of relatives’ Aadhaar cards had led to grave errors, including denial of welfare benefits to living individuals wrongly marked as dead.
The Chief Registrar of Births and Deaths stated that these reforms are aimed at ensuring accountability and preventing such mistakes, thereby protecting citizens from unnecessary difficulties.
