Maharashtra halts issuance of birth certificates to applications delayed by year
Mumbai: Amid the allegations of Bangladeshi Rohingyas being converted into Indian citizens in some parts of the state, the BJP-led Mahayuti government has decided to hold issuances of birth and death certificates to those who are making applications more than a year after the birth or death. The state revenue department has issued an order to hold delayed applications for birth and death certificates.
The state home Department has already constituted an SIT (special investigation team) headed by Dattatray Karale, Special Inspector General of Police, Nashik to probe the complaints of fraudulent registrations of birth certificates.
The revenue department has also directed all six divisional commissioners to investigate the complaints regarding birth certificates issued on the basis of bogus documents.
Maharashtra BJP leaders including chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and former Lok Sabha member Kirit Somaiya have been raising issues of Bangladeshi citizens obtaining fake birth certificates and on the basis of these certificates, they are obtaining voter IDs and Aadhar cards. Earlier this week, Mr. Somaiya had claimed that more than 1.5 lakh Bangladeshi citizens had procured fake documents including birth certificates in the state last year.
Officials said that the local civic bodies are responsible for issuing the birth and death certificates to the citizens. Before 2023, the District and Session Court’s approval was needed for applications for birth and death certificates delayed by more than a year. But the central government had brought an amendment in the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 giving powers to district collectors/ Sub Divisional Officers.
Sources said that with these amendments, the fake birth certificates were issued to illegal immigrants as it gave huge powers to the district administrations officials. “The state government has received several complaints regarding issuance of “delayed” birth and death certificates. The SIT, which is constituted by the home department, has been investigating the complaints. Till further orders, birth and death certificates shall not be issued based on the delayed applications,” said a senior official of the revenue department.
Officials said that they have asked the divisional commissioners to submit their report within a week. The SIT will complete its probe within six months.
