A recent blunder by the Belagavi City Corporation, in which a death certificate was mistakenly issued, has created uproar within the municipal body over the past two months. Following this and similar lapses, the state government has introduced new, stricter regulations to bring transparency and accuracy in the registration of births and deaths.
Key Highlights of the New Rules
- Timely Reporting: Both government and private hospitals must ensure prompt registration of births and deaths and submit reports to the registration authorities without delay.
- SMS Facility: Applicants’ correct mobile numbers must be recorded in the e-Birth software. Once registration is approved, applicants will automatically receive an SMS confirmation.
- New Application Forms: The Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Bengaluru, has directed registration offices to issue updated application forms for greater accuracy.
- Aadhaar Verification: Only the Aadhaar card of the deceased should be used for death registration. Earlier, misuse of relatives’ Aadhaar cards had caused serious issues, including denial of government schemes to living persons mistakenly marked as deceased.
The Chief Registrar of Births and Deaths has emphasized that these measures will ensure accountability and prevent confusion, safeguarding citizens from avoidable hardships.