Maharashtra Suspends Delayed Birth and Death Registrations Amid Fake Certificate Concerns
Mumbai, 23rd January 2025: The Maharashtra Government has immediately suspended the issuance of birth and death certificates for registrations made more than one year after the event. This decision comes in response to recent cases of fraudulent certificates allegedly being issued to Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas in various districts.
All district collectors have been instructed to halt delayed registrations. The move follows claims of fake certificates being issued in Malegaon and Amravati. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleged 4,318 fraudulent birth certificates were issued in Malegaon and 4,537 in Amravati.
Previously, courts had the authority to approve registrations made after one year. Recent amendments to the Registration of Births and Deaths Act of 1969 transferred this power to District Collectors and Sub-Divisional Officers.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate complaints about the registration process. The Maharashtra Revenue Department cited numerous complaints received about the delayed registration procedure.
Minister of Higher and Technical Education of Maharashtra and Kothrud MLA Minister Chandrakant Patil urged citizens to remain vigilant about potential Bangladeshi immigrants in their areas and report suspicious individuals to the police.
The Revenue Department’s circular, issued by Deputy Secretary Mahesh Charudkar, outlines the suspension and ongoing investigation into the registration process.
