Starting from 1 October 2023, birth certificates will serve as the primary document while applying for many services like Aadhaar Card, driving license, appointment to government jobs, marriage registration, admission into educational institutions, voter list preparation, passport issuance, and more.
While announcing the date of implementation of Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023, the Union Home Ministry said, "It will help create database of registered births and deaths which eventually would ensure efficient and transparent delivery of public services and social benefits and digital registration."
The official notification further stated, "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023 (20 of 2023), the Central Government hereby appoints the 1st day of October 2023, as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force."
The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023 Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament during the Monsoon Session this year. Lok Sabha announced the approval of this bill on 1 August while the Rajya Sabha did the same on 7 August 2023.
What Is Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023?
The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023 shall come into action from 1 October 2023. According to this bill, the Registrar General has been empowered to maintain a national database of registered births and deaths. The State appointed Chief Registrars and Local Area Registrars are bound to share the data of registered births and deaths to the national database.
Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023: Some Key Points You Must Know
Following are some of the key takeaway points of Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023:
After being approved by the central government, the national database of births and deaths will be used for purposes like ration cards, registration of population, electoral rolls, and more, as per the new act.
The new act mandates that apart from reporting the deaths and births at a hospital to the registrar, the person in charge is obligated to provide the other details of the parents like Aadhaar number.
After State government's approval, the authorities at State level can also employ the local database.
If a person is dissatisfied by any order of Registrar, he/she can appeal; against it within a period of 30 days, and the concerned authorities will announce their decision regarding the same within 90 days from the exact date of appeal.
The rules of the act are also applicable to adoptive parents (non-institutional), surrogacy of biological parents, unwed mothers, and parent of a single child.
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