Maharashtra will no longer accept Aadhaar cards for delayed birth certificates. The state’s Revenue Department has ordered the cancellation of all such certificates issued solely using Aadhaar after the recent amendment to curb fraudulent activities.
Aadhaar card will not be considered as a document for making a delayed birth certificate in Maharashtra and all birth certificates made only through the Aadhaar card after the Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Act, 2023, will be cancelled, a notice by the State Revenue Department said.
The government has taken this decision to stop fake birth certificates and death certificates from being used for illegal purposes. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has ordered the cancellation of all suspicious certificates issued using Aadhaar cards. Instructions have been given to take action against the officers who have issued these certificates till now.
State Issues New Verification Guidelines
The 16-point verification guideline by the Revenue Department said that the orders issued by the Deputy Tehsildar after the amendment made in the Birth and Death Registration Act, 1969, on August 11, 2023, should be withdrawn, and the withdrawn order should be verified at the level of the competent authority or the District Collector. Since immediate action is required on the pending applications suspended in the state, all concerned offices should be checked, and action should be taken in accordance with the rules issued by the Public Health Department. Also, those that are not as per this SOP should be cancelled immediately, and the entry on the Civil Registration System (CRS) portal should be deleted immediately, the guidelines said.
As per the guidelines, an Aadhaar card cannot be accepted as evidence for any subject or case, and a police complaint should be filed if any discrepancy is found between the Aadhaar number and the date of birth certificate while checking the pending application.
14 Regions Flagged for Investigation
The notice flagged 14 regions with a large number of unauthorised birth-death cases, including Amravati, Sillod, Akola, Sambhajinagar City, Latur, Anjangaon Surji, Achalpur, Pusad, Parbhani, Beed, Gevrai, Jalnaxii, Ardhapur and Parli and asked all the concerned Tehsildars/Police Stations to “seriously investigate” the cases.
Action Mandated for Officials and Applicants
The guidelines added that after the order given by the Tehsildars, all the concerned Municipalities/Narpalikas should reconcile the delayed birth records. It is seen that certificates have been issued by some offices even though the Tehsildars have not given orders to take delayed birth records. Therefore, necessary action should be taken in coordination with all the concerned Municipalities/Municipalities to verify the said certificates.
Many Tehsildar offices have issued birth certificates to the applicants by accepting only an Aadhaar card as evidence, without any school certificate or any proof of date or place of birth. The orders issued for issuing delayed birth certificates are erroneous, and it is the responsibility of the Executive Magistrate or Tehsildar to reconsider such orders.
The Executive Magistrate and Sub-Divisional Officer will have to make a list of the discrepancies and give it to the police. A complaint should be filed with the police against such people. The Tehsildar or Sub-Divisional Office have to immediately submit a list of such persons, if only the Aadhaar card is considered as the original important evidence for the original birth certificate, and a list of those whose date of birth is different from the information or evidence given by the applicant in the application to the police station. In the Tehsil where no police complaint has been made or no FIR has been registered, it is the responsibility of the Tehsildar to file a case against the applicant for such discrepancies in date of birth, which is forgery or fraud.
The notice added that for the birth certificate orders that have been cancelled, the Tehsildar and the officers of the local self-government bodies should coordinate and obtain all these original orders from the applicant. If this original certificate is not returned, the help of the local police should be sought.
Future Steps and Coordination
The Divisional Commissioners have been asked to organise a one-day meeting under his chairmanship in coordination with the District Collector, all concerned Tehsildars, all concerned Municipal Corporations/Municipalities/Zilla Parishads/Police, the notice read. (ANI)
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