The West Bengal Health Department has enforced stringent guidelines to prevent unauthorized alterations to birth and death certificates. The new regulations aim to standardize record management and prevent misuse of personal data. Individuals will no longer be able to make arbitrary changes to details such as names or dates without proper documentation and the registrar's approval. The registrar's decision will be considered final, ensuring a standardized and secure process. Minor corrections will still be permitted, but only with valid proof.
This move by the West Bengal government is a response to the detection of counterfeit birth and death certificates in several districts. These fake certificates pose a significant risk to state security and citizen data, prompting the need for stricter oversight of the government portal that manages these documents. In one instance, an investigation into the issuance of fake birth certificates in South 24-Parganas revealed that approximately 510 fake death certificates had also been created and issued.
To further strengthen the process, the state government has instructed all district administrations to obtain prior approval from the chief registrar of births and deaths within the Health Department before appointing any registrar or sub-registrar. Once appointed, the names, mobile numbers, and user IDs of the designated employees must be submitted to the chief registrar.
In addition to these measures, the West Bengal government has introduced new directives to combat corruption and fraud in the issuance of birth certificates, particularly in panchayat areas. The signature of the Panchayat Pradhan alone will no longer be sufficient to obtain a birth certificate. Now, the application must be sent to the Block Medical Officer of Health (BMOH) for approval. Furthermore, local ASHA workers will conduct a physical verification of the child and their family at their residence after the application is submitted. The entire process will be completed online through the state's dedicated birth-death portal, increasing transparency and making it more difficult for individuals to commit fraud.
