The Centre on Wednesday introduced the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, proposing stricter norms for the delayed registration of births and deaths. The legislation seeks to tighten the approval process for registrations made more than two years after the event, transferring the authority in such cases from executive officials to the judiciary. Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai introduced the Bill after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla invited opposition members to oppose its introduction. However, no member objected, allowing the Bill to be tabled without debate at the introduction stage. The proposed legislation had already received approval from the Union Cabinet on July 20.

The Bill proposes amendments to Section 13(3) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, which was last amended in 2023. The government said the changes are intended to strengthen the verification process for delayed registrations while enhancing the integrity of official birth and death records. Under the current legal framework, births or deaths reported more than one year after their occurrence require approval from a District Magistrate (DM), Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), or another Executive Magistrate before they can be registered. The proposed amendment retains this process for registrations delayed between one and two years.

However, the Bill introduces a more stringent requirement for registrations delayed by more than two years. Such cases will now require an order from a First-Class Judicial Magistrate, shifting the decision-making authority from the executive to the judiciary. The government believes judicial scrutiny in cases involving prolonged delays will strengthen the authenticity of records and reduce the possibility of fraudulent registrations. The proposed changes come amid the government's broader efforts to modernise India's civil registration system. Birth and death certificates have become increasingly important as foundational identity documents, enabling access to education, healthcare, passports, welfare schemes, inheritance claims, and other public services.

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Authorities have also been working to integrate civil registration data with digital governance initiatives to improve service delivery. Officials have maintained that while genuine applicants will continue to have avenues for delayed registration, stricter scrutiny is necessary in cases where applications are filed several years after the event. Such delays, they argue, can complicate verification and increase the risk of misuse, making stronger safeguards necessary. The introduction of the Bill took place amid protests by opposition parties in the Lok Sabha.

Opposition members demanded the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during discussions on the proposed anti-paper leak legislation. Despite the protests, parliamentary business continued, and the birth and death registration amendment Bill was formally introduced. The legislation will now undergo further parliamentary scrutiny before it can become law. If passed by both Houses of Parliament and receiving Presidential assent, the amendment will introduce a two-tier approval mechanism for delayed registrations, with judicial oversight becoming mandatory for cases where the delay exceeds two years. The government says the move will improve the credibility of civil registration records while ensuring greater legal oversight in exceptional cases.

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