Parliament passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which tightens rules for delayed registration of births and deaths, requiring judicial magistrate approval for cases reported more than two years after the event.

Key Highlights of Bill

Bill Name - Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026
Introduced in Lok Sabha - 29 July 2026
Passed by Lok Sabha - 31 July 2026
Passed by Rajya Sabha - 4 August 2026
Act Being Amended - Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969
Presented By - Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai

About Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026

The Bill amends the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, to tighten norms around delayed registrations.
Under the existing law, any birth or death reported more than one year after occurrence needs an order from a district magistrate, sub-divisional magistrate, or an authorised executive magistrate.
The amendment retains this rule for delays up to two years but mandates that registrations delayed by more than two years can only be approved by a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class, after verification and payment of a prescribed fee.

Motive of Registration of Births and Deaths Bill 2026

The amendment aims to strengthen the accuracy of civil registration data, which feeds into electoral rolls and welfare delivery systems across the country.

Key Provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026

Stricter Rules for Delayed Registration: The Bill amends Section 13(3) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 (as amended in 2023) to add stronger checks before a delayed birth or death can be registered.
1-2 Year Delay: If registration is delayed for more than one year but up to two years, it still needs prior approval from the District Magistrate (DM), Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), or an authorised Executive Magistrate.
Mandatory Verification: The authority handling the case must check that the reported details are correct before giving approval. Registration only happens after this verification and payment of the fee.
Judicial Approval After Two Years: If the delay is more than two years, the case must now go through a Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), making judicial checking compulsory for such cases.

Why was the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, required?

The government stated the aim was to ensure every birth and death in the country is accurately recorded, preventing deceased individuals from remaining on voter rolls. Officials shared that birth registration coverage rose from 86.6% in 2014 to 99.1% in 2024, while death registration rose from 72.5% to 99.4% in the same period, with over 3.5 lakh registration centres set up nationwide to support this.