Parliament on Tuesday passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, paving the way for stricter norms governing the delayed registration of births and deaths to curb misuse and encourage the timely reporting of such events.
The Bill was approved by the Rajya Sabha after being passed by the Lok Sabha earlier. Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai moved the legislation which seeks to amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
The amendment introduces a more stringent framework for delayed registrations while leaving the existing system largely unchanged for timely reporting.
Under the new provisions, if a birth or death is reported more than one year but within two years after its occurrence, registration will be allowed only with the approval of the district magistrate, sub-divisional magistrate or an executive magistrate authorised by the district magistrate, following verification of the authenticity of the birth or death.
For registrations sought after more than two years from the date of occurrence, the event can be registered only on the order of a judicial magistrate of the first class.
Replying to the debate, Mr Rai said the amendment had been brought in view of the possible misuse of delayed registrations.
He said the government's intention was to ensure that every child born in the country is duly registered, while preventing instances of improper registration or manipulation for vested interests. Similarly, every death should also be recorded promptly to eliminate the possibility of misuse or irregularities in official records.
The minister emphasised that the overall registration framework remains largely unchanged, except for stricter provisions for registrations delayed beyond two years.
Highlighting improvements in the country's civil registration system, Mr Rai said nearly 350,000 registration units are functioning across India. He noted that birth registration has increased from about 86.6% in 2014 to more than 99% in 2024, while death registration has risen from about 72.5% to 99.4% during the same period.
He said India is progressing steadily towards achieving universal and accurate registration of births and deaths.
Participating in the debate, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Darshana Singh said birth and death registration is not merely an administrative process but an essential document establishing the identity of every citizen. She said the amendment seeks to make the system simpler, more transparent and more effective in line with changing times.
She added that the digitisation of the birth and death registration system has made records more secure and reliable while improving transparency and citizen services.
However, some members expressed reservations over certain provisions of the Bill.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) member Dr Santrupt Misra questioned the requirement of obtaining an order from a judicial magistrate of the first class for registrations delayed by more than two years. He argued that courts are already burdened with a large number of pending cases and involving the judiciary in such matters may not be necessary.
YSR Congress Party member Meda Raghunadha Reddy supported the legislation, saying his party backed all efforts to strengthen the integrity of India's civil registration system and prevent identity fraud.
He observed that India's civil registration system has made remarkable progress over the years, noting that before 2000, only about 56% of births and 48% of deaths were registered nationwide. He said a robust civil registration system is crucial not only for establishing legal identity but also for effective governance, policy planning and the delivery of public services.
Congress member Phulo Devi Netam, Trinamool Congress member Mamata Thakur, BRS member Ravi Chandra Vaddiraju and AIADMK member M Dhanapal also participated in the discussion.
Following the passage of the Bill, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 11am on Wednesday.
