Kerala to issue Nativity Card to replace certificate, BJP challenges move

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 24 (PTI) The Kerala Cabinet has given in-principle approval for the introduction of a permanent, photo-embedded Nativity Card in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Wednesday.

The decision was taken to replace the existing nativity certificate, which currently has to be obtained repeatedly for different purposes and does not carry statutory legal validity, he told a press conference here.

The move is aimed at ensuring that no individual is forced to struggle to prove their identity or place of residence in the state, he explained.

However, the announcement triggered sharp reactions from the BJP, which alleged that the move was an example of "dangerous separatist politics." Vijayan said the situation in which people are forced to struggle to prove their own existence is a matter of concern.

Every individual should be able to easily establish before any authority that they were born and are living in this state or that they are a permanent resident, he said.

"No one should face a situation of exclusion. For this, a person must possess an authentic document with legal backing," Vijayan said, adding that the state government intends to introduce such a document in Kerala.

An in-principle approval has been given by the Cabinet for the issuance of a permanent, photo-embedded Native Identity Card in place of the currently issued nativity certificate.

"The card will be an authentic document with legal validity, usable at all times in place of the nativity certificate, and applicable for services related to the state government as well as for other social needs," the Chief Minister said.

Stating that a nativity certificate is a document that proves a person's birth and long-term residence in a state, he said it does not have statutory legal validity.

At present, people are required to obtain nativity certificates multiple times for different purposes, he pointed out.

This issue has been raised repeatedly as a grievance before the government, and there have been continuous public demands for a solution, he said.

"The introduction of the Nativity Card is expected to resolve these problems," the CM said.

The Cabinet has entrusted the Revenue Department with the task of preparing a draft law, in consultation with the Law Department, to confer legal validity on the card and to submit it for the Cabinet's consideration, Vijayan added.

Once implemented, the card can be used as a beneficiary identification document for government services. The responsibility for issuing the cards will rest with Tahsildars, the CM added.

Soon after his announcement, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar issued a statement saying that the move to provide a special identity document for the people of Kerala would be legally challenged by his party.

He alleged that the proposal to introduce a photo-embedded nativity certificate was a demand that had not even been raised by separatist organisations.

Accusing the CM of attempting to create unnecessary fear among the public, Chandrasekhar claimed that the announcement was aimed at diverting attention from the setback allegedly suffered by the ruling front in the recent local body elections. PTI LGK SA