The Centre has introduced stricter rules for delayed registration of births and deaths, with the provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026 set to come into effect from October 1, 2026.
Registrar General of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan announced the implementation on Wednesday through a gazette notification. Under the new provisions, applications made more than two years after a birth or death will require an order from a First-Class Judicial Magistrate.
Judicial order for delays beyond two years
The amendment changes Section 13(3) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, making the procedure for delayed registration more stringent.
If an application is submitted more than two years after the birth or death, registration will require judicial scrutiny and an order from a First-Class Judicial Magistrate. Such cases will no longer be handled through the normal administrative process alone.
For applications made after one year but within two years, an order from the District Magistrate (DM), Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) or an authorised Executive Magistrate will continue to be required.
The new provisions are aimed at encouraging people to report births and deaths within the prescribed time.
Verification before registration
The amended law also requires officials to verify the correctness of the reported birth or death before completing the registration, along with payment of the prescribed fee.
The government said the higher level of scrutiny for applications filed after two years is intended to strengthen the registration process and prevent incorrect or fraudulent records.
The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed by both Houses of Parliament and became law after receiving the President’s assent last month.
The Registrar General’s gazette notification stated that the Central Government has appointed October 1, 2026, as the date on which the provisions of the amended Act will come into force.
Birth and death certificates as legal records
Registration of births and deaths is mandatory under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969. The law regulates the registration process and related matters, while certificates issued under it serve as important legal records.
A birth or death certificate can also be used as evidence to establish the birth or death of a person.
The Act was previously amended in 2023, with those provisions coming into force on October 1 of that year. The latest amendments further tighten the procedure for delayed registration and seek to promote timely reporting of vital events.