Modi govt's proposed amendment will enable tracking of an Indian citizen from birth to death

In a significant move, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will on Monday (July 31) present the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to amend the existing Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, aiming to garner the House's attention and secure its passage.

The Registration of Births and Deaths Act was introduced in 1969 and is a straightforward legislation designed to facilitate the registration of births and deaths across the nation.

Manipur sexual assault survivors move fresh plea in Supreme Court, hearing today

Proposing new amendments, the Ministry of Home Affairs is advocating for the compulsory integration of Aadhaar to monitor the occurrence of new births and deaths within families. The envisioned plan involves establishing a comprehensive database encompassing all births and deaths, which will subsequently be employed to synchronize information across various governmental databases, including the National Population Register, voter rolls, ration cards, passports, driving licenses, and Aadhaar records.

This initiative, if implemented, will effectively enable the tracking of every Indian citizen throughout their entire lifespan, spanning from birth until the time of their demise.

The Bill, in addition to mandating birth certificates for school admissions, voter registrations, marriages, passport issuance, government job applications, and almost any other purpose deemed necessary by the Ministry of Home Affairs, has raised concerns about potential queues and challenges akin to those experienced due to Aadhaar.

Railway Protection Force constable kills 4 onboard Jaipur-Mumbai train near Palghar

These proposed amendments to a half-century-old law are set to transform a straightforward administrative procedure into a mechanism with the potential for population control, susceptible to being wielded against every citizen. While documentation, such as birth certificates or other forms of identification, is essential for leading a dignified life, history reminds us that seemingly innocuous exercises can be manipulated and turned into tools for identifying and targeting diverse and non-conformist populations.