GS III - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Poor Birth Registration in Bihar: A Persistent Challenge
- According to the 2009 Civil Registration System (CRS) report compiled by the Registrar-General of India (RGI), the level of registration of births in Bihar in 2000 stood at 3.7% compared with the national average of 56.2% the same year.
Special Electoral Roll Revision Raises Concerns
- There were over 7.72 crore electors in Bihar during the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
- The Election Commission of India (EC) said 4.96 crore electors do not need to submit any documents as they can verify their details from the 2003 electoral rolls when the last such exercise was carried out.
Documentation Burden on Young Voters
- The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which is currently going on in Bihar, stipulates that those born in India after December 2, 2004 would have to provide any of 11 documents, which include birth certificates, furnish similar documents belonging to the father and mother of the applicant also.
Digital Mandate and Legal Amendments
- The Union Home Ministry amended the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 in 2023 that mandated digital birth certificates for those born after October 1, 2023 for admissions in schools, colleges and for updating electoral rolls.
Compliance Issues Among Hospitals and Institutions
- Periodic CRS reports show that not all births are registered.
- The RGI office cautioned private and government hospitals to report incidents of births and deaths within 21 days after it was found that many medical institutions were flouting the law adding that nearly 10% births were not getting registered.
CRS vs SRS
- The CRS is the actual numbers, the Sample Registration System (SRS) is the largest demographic survey in the country mandated to provide annual estimates of fertility and mortality indicators at the State and national level.
Political and Public Backlash Against SIR
- The EC’s move to conduct the SIR has invited criticism from Opposition parties terming it as a move to bring the National Register of Citizens (NRC) through the backdoor.
Need for Balanced Electoral Reforms
- Accuracy is important, but exclusion of genuine voters must be avoided.
