Bill seeks stricter rules for delayed birth, death registrations introduced in Lok Sabha

The government on Wednesday introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha proposing stricter rules for registering births and deaths more than two years after they occur, with such cases to require approval from a first-class judicial magistrate.

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai introduced the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to encourage timely reporting of births and deaths by tightening the process for delayed registrations.

Under the proposed changes, registrations delayed by more than one year but up to two years would continue to require approval from a district magistrate, sub-divisional magistrate or executive magistrate having jurisdiction over the place where the birth or death occurred.

For delays exceeding two years, however, the Bill proposes shifting the approval authority from the executive to the judiciary. Such registrations would be allowed only on the order of a first-class judicial magistrate.

The Bill seeks to amend Section 13(3) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, which was last amended in 2023.

The proposed legislation was introduced amid Opposition protests in the House, with members seeking the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during the debate on the anti-paper leak Bill.

The Union Cabinet had cleared the Bill for introduction on July 20.

Registration of births and deaths is mandatory under the 1969 Act. Certificates issued under the law serve as legal proof of a person's birth or death and are admissible as evidence for establishing the event.

The 2023 amendments to the Act came into force on October 1 that year.