The Birth and Death Registration Amendment Bill was approved in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Amid fierce uproar from the opposition, the bill was passed by voice vote,
Earlier, the bill had been approved in the Lok Sabha, and it has now also received approval in the Rajya Sabha.
Under the Births and Deaths Registration Act enacted in 1969, registering births and deaths is mandatory. An amendment to this law has now been introduced through the Births and Deaths Registration Amendment Bill. According to this bill, if an application is made to register a birth or death after one year has passed from the date of a child’s birth or a person’s death, but before two years have been completed, such registration can be done only after obtaining an order from the District Collector or the Revenue Divisional Officer.
If more than two years have passed since the birth of a child or a person's death, that record will be subject to strict scrutiny. Such a record will be made only on the basis of an order issued by the First Class Judicial Magistrate.
Amid the uproar by the opposition, responding to the debate on this bill, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said, “It is the duty of the central government to ensure that every child born in the country is properly registered, and that every death is properly registered so that political parties do not continue to benefit by registering fake votes in the names of the dead. The Congress party has been deceiving the country through these birth and death registrations,” he said.
When the Rajya Sabha convened at 11 a.m., opposition members raised slogans over the NEET protest and the Ram temple donation irregularities issue. They also created a ruckus, insisting that Union Home Minister Amit Shah should give an explanation in the House regarding these issues.
As a result, within a few minutes of the House meeting, Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan adjourned the proceedings.
When the House reconvened at 12 noon, the Chairman allowed Question Hour. Even so, opposition members continued to create a disturbance.
In addition, DMK MP Trichy Siva raised in the House the issue of Tamil Nadu opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s arrest.
Then, the Speaker pointed out that “a state-related issue cannot be raised in this House.” Even after that, as the uproar continued, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings until 2 p.m.
When the House reconvened at 2 p.m., Union Minister Nityanand Rai brought the Birth and Death Registration Amendment Bill for the House’s consideration and approval.
Several members of the ruling alliance expressed support for the bill.
At that time, Opposition Leader Mallikarjun Kharge said, “The proceedings are not being conducted properly. The uproar continues. There is only one way to resolve this. The Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister must come to the House. We want to discuss this with them,” he said.
Other opposition members who were allowed to speak on the bill also raised slogans, putting forward the demand that Union Home Minister Amit Shah should come to the House and explain the police action against the protesting students.
Amid the continuing uproar, the Birth and Death Registration Amendment Bill was approved by voice vote.