Maharashtra: Tighter norms for acquiring birth, death certificates by foreign nationals staying illegally

Mumbai: Producing fake documents to apply for birth and death certificates will lead to registration of criminal cases in Maharashtra, state Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said.

Speaking in the legislative assembly on Wednesday, Bawankule announced tighter norms for acquiring these documents by foreign nationals residing in India illegally.

The announcement comes amid allegations that some Bangladeshi nationals had submitted forged documents.

"Birth and death certificates are crucial documents but they are also misused. To curb this practice, norms have been changed. Now no one can misuse the provisions and violators will face a criminal case," the minister said.

His remarks come amid claims made by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya that 3,997 birth certificates had been issued to Bangladeshi nationals on forged documents, leading to the suspension of two officials in Malegaon (Nashik district).

Bawankule said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the issuance of fake birth and death certificates.

As per a government resolution (GR) issued by the Public Health Department, wherever there are requests for birth and death certificates which are more than a year old, the registrar, the district magistrate, the sub-divisional district magistrate or executive magistrate, or those officials who have been authorised by the district magistrate, must verify the application.

The certificate has to be issued after the late fee.

The GR said the state government received complaints about some foreign nationals applying late for certificates.

It said proofs like the postmortem report, FIR, statements of aanganwadi workers or officials concerned, hospital registration details or any other official record should be verified before issuing the certificate.

Hospital certificates, health records, vaccination certificates, parent and blood relatives' domicile certificates, birth certificates, school leaving certificate, tax receipts, Aadhaar cards, PAN Card or any other official identification card, and genealogy certificates are also crucial for issuing birth and death certificates where the application has been received after a year of occurrence.

The reasons for the delay in applying also need to be verified, the GR said.

The official concerned will also need to seek a report from the police after verification of the address. The official concerned should also seek a report from talathi or gram sevak after due verification.

"There will be a three-step verification. If the applicant has produced fake documents, a criminal case will be registered," the GR said.