India bill mandates court approval for birth/death records

The Indian government introduced legislation in Parliament on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, proposing stricter judicial oversight for the delayed registration of births and deaths. The Registration of Births and Deaths Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, aiming to enhance the integrity of the national civil registration system.

The core change proposed by the bill involves raising the threshold for judicial approval. Under the existing law, any birth or death reported more than one year after the event can be registered with an order from an executive magistrate, such as a District or Sub-Divisional Magistrate. The amendment would split delayed registrations into two categories. Applications made after one year but within two years would still require approval from an executive magistrate following verification and payment of a fee. However, for any registration sought more than two years after the event, an order from a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class would become mandatory, introducing a new layer of judicial scrutiny.

Officials stated the objective is to make delayed registration provisions more...