HC seeks reply from Centre, Maha govt on nationality PIL

The Bombay High Court today directed the Centre and Maharashtra government to file affidavits in reply to a PIL challenging the deletion of nationality column from birth and death certificates.
A social worker, Shahajirao Thorat, had approached the High Court challenging an order passed by the government on April 20, 2000, deleting the column of nationality from birth and death certificates.
The certificates are issued under section 12 and 17 of the Registration of Birth and Death Act. However, the nationality and permanent address columns from the certificates were deleted from 2000.
While deleting the column, the government had said birth and death certificates, used as proof for address, were being misused.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha directed the Centre and Maharashtra government to file their affidavits by August 8.
The PIL has sought direction to the government to include nationality column in birth and death certificates.