Meghalaya shifts delayed birth and death cases to judicial magistrates
Meghalaya has directed applicants with birth or death registrations delayed over two years to approach a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class. The amended law shifts authority from Executive Magistrates and covers pending and fresh applications.
- Oct 21, 2026,
- Updated Oct 21, 2026, 11:53 AM IST
Applications for registering births and deaths reported more than two years after they occurred must now be submitted directly to a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class (JMFC), following an amendment to the registration law that came into force on October 1, 2026.
The District Magistrate of East Khasi Hills has issued a notice informing the public of the change under the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026, enacted by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
Under the amended Section 13 of the Act, an order from a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class is mandatory for registering a birth or death reported after a delay of more than two years. The authority to issue such orders no longer rests with an Executive Magistrate.
The change applies to both pending and fresh applications involving birth or death registrations delayed by more than two years. Applicants must approach the competent Judicial Magistrate of the First Class directly instead of submitting their cases to an Executive Magistrate.
The amendment changes the procedure for obtaining delayed registration of births and deaths, making it necessary for applicants in such cases to approach the designated judicial authority.