In a major crackdown on fabricated documentation across Maharashtra, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has ordered the immediate cancellation of all suspicious birth and death certificates issued solely on the basis of Aadhaar cards. The sweeping action aims to eliminate fraudulent records from circulation and restore integrity to the vital documentation system.
Stringent Verification Measures Implemented
The Revenue Department issued a comprehensive circular following a high-level meeting chaired by the additional chief secretary (Home) and Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue). The directive mandates tehsildars, subdivisional officers, district collectors, and divisional commissioners to scrutinize certificates using a 16-point verification system to identify fraudulent documents.
Chandrashekhar Bawankule declared that the government will not allow fraudulent certificates to remain in circulation. "Any suspicious entry must be cancelled without delay," the minister stated emphatically during the announcement on Thursday.
Key Directives and Criminal Consequences
The government has instructed district administrations to revoke all birth and death orders issued by naib-tahsildars after the August 11, 2023 amendment, noting that several were processed without adequate proof. The circular explicitly states that Aadhaar "cannot be treated as proof of birth or place of birth," and any certificate issued solely on its basis will be deemed invalid.
Discrepancies between the date of birth on an application and that on Aadhaar will attract immediate criminal action. "If any mismatch is found, a police case will be filed immediately," Bawankule warned. Beneficiaries who refuse to surrender original certificates or cannot be traced will be declared absconding after due process, with local police directed to register FIRs in such cases.
Special Drives in Fraud Hotspots
An internal review identified several districts where fraudulent certificates were frequently issued. These hotspots include: Amravati, Sillod, Akola, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city, Latur, Anjangaon Surji, Achalpur, Pusad, Parbhani, Beed, Gevrai, Jalna, Ardhapur and Parli.
District collectors and tehsildars in these regions have been directed to conduct intensified scrutiny. To expedite the clean-up operation, officials have been asked to conduct special drives and camps under the direct supervision of collectors and divisional commissioners.
The system for issuing birth and death certificates is primarily handled by the Health Department, but cases older than one year are processed by the Revenue Department through tehsildars and senior officers. Officials confirmed that irregularities surfaced at multiple locations, prompting the government to order a comprehensive re-examination and retrieval of all questionable certificates.
"We are committed to restoring integrity to the certification process," Bawankule affirmed, signaling the government's determination to eliminate document fraud across Maharashtra's vital records system.
