Government Proposes Amendment Bill for Birth and Death Registration

Introduction of the Amendment Bill

New Delhi, August 4 - The government introduced a bill aimed at amending the laws related to the registration of births and deaths in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Home State Minister Nityanand Rai presented the Birth and Death Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2026, with the permission of Deputy Chairman Harivansh, amidst disruptions from the opposition.

Opposition's Demands and Cabinet Approval

During the discussion, opposition members raised slogans demanding the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the house. The Union Cabinet had approved the bill on July 20.

Key Provisions of the Bill

The primary aim of this bill is to further amend Section 13(3) of the Birth and Death Registration Act, 1969 (revised in 2023), to tighten the provisions regarding late registrations. Currently, if the registration of a birth or death is delayed by more than a year, it requires an order from the District Magistrate (DM), Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), or any Executive Magistrate. The new bill proposes a two-tier approval system based on the duration of the delay.

Previous Legislative Action

The Lok Sabha had passed the bill concerning the amendment of the birth and death registration laws on July 31 without discussion, amid uproar from opposition party members.