Parliament passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on 4 August 2026, after its approval by the Rajya Sabha; the Lok Sabha had already passed it. The Bill amends the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 and aims to make delayed registration more stringent while promoting timely and accurate registration.
Key Provisions:
- 1–2 years delay: Registration of a birth or death reported after one year but within two years will require approval from the District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, or authorised Executive Magistrate, after verification.
- More than 2 years delay: Registration will require an order of a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class.
- The amendment seeks to prevent misuse, manipulation and identity fraud through improper delayed registration.
- It aims to ensure universal and accurate registration of births and deaths and improve the reliability of civil records.
- India has nearly 3.5 lakh registration units.
- Birth registration increased from 86.6% in 2014 to over 99% in 2024.
- Death registration increased from 72.5% to 99.4% during the same period.
- Members supporting the Bill highlighted the importance of registration for legal identity, governance, policy planning and delivery of public services.
- Some members expressed concern that referring cases after two years to Judicial Magistrates could increase the burden on already overburdened courts.
Exam Point: The Bill mainly strengthens the procedure for delayed registration of births and deaths, particularly registrations made more than two years after the event.
