Birth, Death Registration Rules Tightened, New Law to Take Effect From October 1

The provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026, which introduce stricter rules for delayed registration of births and deaths, will come into force from October 1, Registrar General of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan said on Wednesday.

The amendment was passed by both Houses of Parliament and became law after receiving President’s assent last month. In a gazette notification, Narayan said the Central Government had appointed October 1, 2026, as the date for bringing the provisions of the amended Act into force.

The new law amends Section 13(3) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, making provisions for delayed registration more stringent.

Under the amended provisions, applications for registration filed after one year but within two years of a birth or death will require an order from a District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or an authorised executive magistrate.

The concerned official will have to verify the correctness of the event before registration can be completed, subject to payment of the prescribed fee.

For applications submitted more than two years after the birth or death, the law introduces a higher level of scrutiny. Such registrations will require an order from a Judicial Magistrate First Class.

The government has said the changes are aimed at encouraging timely reporting of births and deaths and strengthening the registration process.

Registration of births and deaths is mandatory under the 1969 Act. The certificates issued under the law provide legal recognition of these vital events and can be used as evidence of a person's birth or death.

The Registration of Births and Deaths Act was amended in 2023, with those provisions coming into force on October 1 of that year.

The latest amendment further strengthens the framework governing delayed registration, particularly in cases where the event is reported several years after it occurred.