Municipalities & panchayat heads won't issue birth and death certificates anymore: Bengal Govt

The West Bengal government has announced that Panchayat Pradhans and Municipal Presidents will no longer be authorized to issue birth and death certificates. Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal stated at a press conference in Nabanna that these responsibilities will now be assigned exclusively to direct government officials to prevent fraud. The state Health Department will distribute duties among officials to oversee the process and eliminate contractual worker involvement in verification tasks.

The decision follows numerous complaints regarding fraudulent birth and death certificates, particularly linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. In response, law enforcement agencies launched comprehensive searches across multiple districts, including Kolkata, Durgapur, Nadia, Birbhum, and Cooch Behar, seizing official registers and documents. The state plans to audit all certificates registered since 1997 to build a verified database linked directly to the central portal.

To resolve discrepancies, authorities will conduct door-to-door surveys and hold official hearings for individuals lacking valid documentation. The Chief Secretary reassured citizens that fake certificates will be revoked while legitimate documents will remain protected under the standardized verification system.