India Introduces Strict New Birth and Death Registration Bill

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai introduced the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha on July 29. Previously cleared by the Union Cabinet on July 20, the legislation amends the Registration of Births and Deaths Act of 1969 to make delayed registrations more stringent through a new two-tier approval system.

Under the proposed rules, registrations delayed by one to two years will still require approval from a district, sub-divisional, or executive magistrate. However, any registration delayed beyond two years will now require an order from a first-class judicial magistrate, effectively shifting authority from the executive to the judiciary for long-term delays.

The introduction occurred during a volatile session in New Delhi. Opposition MPs protested the proceedings, demanding the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to debate the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to address the House regarding the anti-paper leak legislation while other ministers introduced bills concerning the number of Supreme Court judges and various constitutional amendments.