NEW DELHI: The provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026, which tighten the requirements for delayed registration of births and deaths, will come into force from October 1, according to a notification issued by the Registrar General of India.
The amendment, enacted as Act No. 12 of 2026, received presidential assent in August after being passed by Parliament. The latest notification appoints October 1, 2026, as the date for commencement of all provisions of the Act.
Under the amended provisions, applications for registration submitted more than one year but within two years of a birth or death will require an order from the District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or an Executive Magistrate authorised by the District Magistrate. The concerned authority will be required to verify the correctness of the event before registration, subject to payment of the prescribed fee.
For applications submitted more than two years after the occurrence, registration will require an order from a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class, following verification of the event and payment of the prescribed fee.
The amendment replaces the earlier provision under Section 13 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, with the stated objective of making delayed registration more stringent and encouraging timely reporting of births and deaths.
The Registration of Births and Deaths Act provides the legal framework for compulsory registration of births and deaths and the issuance of certificates that serve as official records of such events.
The new provisions will take effect nationwide from October 1, marking a significant change in the approval process for delayed birth and death registrations.
