SC issues notice to Centre on uniform guidelines for issuing birth, death certificates through digital mode

The Supreme Court bench was hearing a special leave petition filed by a village-level officer against his conviction under Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly accepting a bribe from the son of a deceased for issuing his father's death certificate

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Union government for framing uniform guidelines for issuance of birth and death certificates through digital mode.

“Issue notice to the Union of India and to be served through the concerned Additional Solicitor General on the question of formulating an appropriate guidelines for uniform issuance of birth and death certificates, through digital mode to avoid delay and inconvenience to those who wish to apply for it. Returnable in four weeks,” said a bench of Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Justice Aravind Kumar in a recent order.

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The bench was hearing a special leave petition filed by a village-level officer against his conviction under Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly accepting a bribe from the son of a deceased for issuing his father’s death certificate. It issued notice on the quantum of sentence and granted interim bail to the appellant-officer.

The appellant challenged the one-year sentence imposed by the Madurai bench of Madras High on a charge of demanding an illegal gratification of Rs 1,500.