Birth and Death Registration Amendments Take Effect on October 1

The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026 will come into force on the first day of October, as announced by Registrar General of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan. The amendment revises Section 13(3) of the 1969 Act to impose stricter conditions on registrations submitted more than a year after the event. For delays up to two years, an order from a district magistrate, sub-divisional magistrate or authorized executive magistrate is required; registrations delayed beyond two years must be authorized by a first-class judicial magistrate.

The law also mandates thorough verification of the information before issuing the certificate, after payment of the prescribed fee. These measures are intended to encourage prompt reporting of births and deaths, which are essential for obtaining school admission, Aadhaar cards, passports and other legal documents. The amendment follows a previous 2023 amendment that also took effect on October 1 of that year.