Persons born in the city over 15 years ago and not having their names  in the birth registers of the GHMC though they were registered can now have their names entered in the records. The relaxation of rule, which had expired on August 13, 2011, will be in force till December 31, 2014.

A large number of parents are approaching the GHMC for inclusion of their children’s names in birth certificates. In particular, professionals settled abroad are seeking inclusion of the names of their wards aged beyond 15 years for Green Card or  immigration purpose.Usually, a child’s name is not immediately entered in birth registers as it is customary for Indians to wait for an auspicious day to perform the naming ceremony. Thus, hospitals register only the name of the mother. Hence the missing of the child’s name in records.

GHMC officials told Express that in view of the difficulties experienced by citizens, the corporation has urged government to extend the relaxation AP Registration of Births Rules 1999.The deputy registrar-general, New Delhi informed the government that at the time of introduction of the revamped system in 2000, many states made the provision of reckoning the period of 15 years in case of those events which were registered prior to the rules coming into force.

In January this year the chief registrar of births and deaths sought permission for allowing entry of the names of children in birth records prior to the period of issue of the AP Registrations of Births and Deaths Rules 1999 for a period period of two years as one-time exception. 

In view of the above circumstances, the government accorded permission to the chief registrar of births and deaths and the director of public health and family welfare for registering the names of children whose names could not be entered in the birth registers prior to the period of promulgation of AP Registrations of Births and Deaths Rules, 1999.

Municipal commissioner MT Krishna Babu said citizens can enrol their wards’ names in birth certificates if they have crossed the age of 15 years.