Issue of birth, death certificates in CURE limits moves to CRS portal

The process for issuing birth and death certificates in the tri-commissionerate area, also known as the Core Urban Region (CURE), has shifted to the centralised Civil Registration System (CRS) from September 1. The CRS is administered by the Registrar General of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs in coordination with State governments.

The shift effectively removes Mee Seva centres from the certificate-issuance process. Officials say this will make the process more transparent and less prone to errors. Certificates issued through the CRS portal will carry a 16-digit unique identification number and a QR code, making them valid across the country.

Residents will now have to apply directly through the CRS portal, instead of approaching Mee Seva centres, by submitting the required documents online.

The move follows a scam unearthed more than three years ago involving the issuance of bogus birth and death certificates in several circles of the then Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), allegedly with the active connivance of Mee Seva operators.

Under the earlier system, citizens could apply for certificates online through Mee Seva centres or Citizen Service Centres at GHMC circle offices. The applications were then processed by the staff concerned after the required verification. Hospitals were required to upload details of every birth and death for the certificates to be processed. In the case of home births and deaths, the Assistant Medical Officer of Health would conduct an enquiry, following which the Revenue Divisional Officers issued proceedings for grant of the certificates.

Under the new system, hospitals are mandated to register every birth and death directly on the CRS portal, said GHMC Chief Medical Officer of Health Amar Singh. The procedure for home births and deaths remains largely unchanged, except that RDO proceedings are no longer required, he said. While the system has formally shifted to CRS, some initial hiccups are being reported and are being addressed, Mr Singh added.

Registration of births and deaths reported within 30 days, along with issuance of certificates, will be free. For registrations delayed by up to one year, applicants can register with the permission of the district registrar on payment of the prescribed penalty. Delays of one to two years will require permission from the District Collector and payment of the applicable late fee. For registrations delayed by more than two years, certificates will be issued on the basis of an order from a First Class Judicial Magistrate, officials said.

CURE covers areas in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal–Malkajgiri and Sangareddy districts. In Hyderabad district, the GHMC Commissioner will continue to function as the Registrar, with jurisdiction over 25 circles and the Cantonment. In the other three districts, the respective District Medical and Health Officers will serve as registrars.

The new system also places a limit on corrections to certificates, with beneficiaries allowed to make changes only twice, officials said. Authorities have trained officials across all 60 circles under the three corporations and issued user IDs to the medical officers concerned to facilitate the transition.