Delay in issuance of birth, death certificates irks applicants

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, March 2

Defying norms under the Right to Service Act (RTS), Suvidha Centres have not been completing formalities regarding birth and death certificates within the fixed time limit.

As per the RTS Act, a new birth certificate, including entry of name, should be delivered to an applicant within seven days, but offices of the local registrar do not complete the task even in one month.

Similarly, applicants receive certificates after much delay in case of a correction in certificate, late registration of birth or death. Those seeking certified copies of birth/death certificates within the Municipal Corporation limits also have to wait for a long time.

Generally applicants do not file a complaint to the appellate authorities and keep visiting designated officers.

Meanwhile, officials admitted delay in issuing of birth and death certificates. “There are several reasons of delay in the work. Our record is not computerised. We have to work manually even for issuing new certificates. There is shortage of staff as government has discontinued hiring of contractual workers. The remaining staff was busy with the election duty, which led to pendency of cases,” said a junior official.

“Suvidha Centers open six days in a week and contractual employees receive applications from 9 am to 5 pm. Here in the Municipal Corporation office we work five days in a week. We are facing shortage of staff and other infrastructure. Earlier, we used to receive applications till 1 pm, but now number of applications has increased. We tried hard to meet the time limit under the Right to Service Act, but it is not as easy,” said another official.

When contacted, Alaka, Joint Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, said, “The process is not yet computerised and employees issue certificates manually. Moreover, the staff was busy in the election duty, which led to pendency of work.”