Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 17: The provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026, which tighten regulations governing 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, passed by both Houses of Parliament, became law after receiving the President’s assent last month. In a gazette notification, Narayan announced October 1, 2026, as the date on which the provisions of the amended law will come 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. The government has said the changes are aimed at encouraging timely reporting of births and deaths.

Under the amended provisions, applications for registration submitted after one year but within two years of the 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 reported event before registration is allowed, subject to payment of the prescribed fee.

For applications filed more than two years after the birth or death, the law introduces a higher level of scrutiny and requires an order from a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class.

The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, provides for the registration of births and deaths and related matters. Registration of such events is mandatory under the law, while certificates issued under the Act serve as legal documents establishing a person's birth or death.

The Act was last amended in 2023, with the amended provisions coming into force from October 1 that year.