Understanding The Nuances and The Importance of Getting Death Certificate Issued in India Through Conventional & Digital Way

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Death is inevitable, this painful event of life leaves the surviving members in pain and agony. Death takes both a physical and emotional toll on the family member of the deceased.It is impossible to fill the void created by the unfortunate death of loved ones but the spirit of life goes on. The person has to move on with life and take charge of the responsibilities the deceased has left behind.

Death certificate becomes an important tool as this legal document will be required for various financial transactions, making succession decisions, transferring of the ownership of the assets and other responsibilities. Death certificate is an official document issued by the government acknowledging the termination of life of an individual. It is an important document for both grieving families and the government authorities. In this article we explain how a death certificate can be obtained online, importance of a death certificate and other key details.

Understanding The Importance of Death Certificates:

Death certificate is an official document issued by government authorities as a formal acknowledgement of the fact that a person has passed away on a certain day. This document holds significant importance as it serves various purposes like inheritance, insurance settlement and in deciding responsibilities and financial obligation of survivors.

A death certificate plays a crucial role in various events and situations

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Importance of Death Certificate in Legal Matters:

A death certificate will be required by law when the surviving family member

• Trying to claim benefits, like pension, bank deposit of deceased, provident fund, insurance claim settlement etc.
• Looking to get ownership transfer of the inherited property.
• For banking information, banking institutions would require this certificate to close out any open bank account for the deceased.
• Completing tax formalities related to the account of the deceased.
• Re-marriage in case the spouse of the deceased wishes to re-marry then they would need the death certificate of the person.
• Surviving members must submit the decades certificate in court in case of any ongoing case against the deceased.

Above are some of the few instances where the death certificate plays a crucial role.However, it is not just important for the family members of the deceased it is also important for the government authorities.

Importance of Death Certificate for Government Authorities

It provides vital statistical data to government authorities about the rate of death in the area and underlying causes of the death like medical conditions or accidents. The government health department gets crucial insights related to the death cause prevailing in their area. Insights gained from these data allow the government to devise effective policies and measures for better health outcomes and work with the health department of the area to reduce the death rate.

Understanding The Registration of Births and Deaths Act of 1969

In India registering the birth and death is mandatory as per the registration of birth and death act of 1966. Under this act any event of birth and death has to be registered with competent authorities in the state or district. The person has to report the event of birth and death at the registrar office available in their area.

Responsibility of Reporting The Death

In the event of death, the responsibility of reporting the death lies with different individuals based on the circumstance.

• In case the event of the death has occurred at home then it is the responsibility of the head of family to report it to the registrar office.
• In case the deceased person passes away in hospital the responsibility lies with the medical professional or the Chief Medical Officer
• In case of the death of an inmate, it becomes the responsibility of the Jailer in charge of the facility where the inmate has died.
•  If none of the above is applicable then any elder person or relative can submit information to request a death certificate.

In case of the person who died at hospital, the attending medical professional is obligated to provide complete details including the time and cause of death.

Details of the Document Required for Death Certificate

For requesting the death certificate from the authorities below mentioned documents are required

• Any proof of age, preferably birth certificate
• Photocopy of any one of the Passport, Ration cards, Self-certified declaration, Voter card, PAN card, Driving License, Nationalized bank for identity
• A declaration specifying date of death
• Death Certificate from Hospital
• A certificate issued by village head, regional councilor or  Hon. MP or MLA will work if there is no hospital available in the area.

Registration of Death Certificate:

As per the Indian birth and death registration act of 1969 registrars are the competent authorities to register the event of birth and death in their jurisdictional area. Under this act the responsibility of reporting a birth and death lies on medical institutions like hospitals and health centers.

In case of the event of  Birth and Death occurring at home, citizens need to report  the event to the respective Registrar, the deadline of reporting the event is 21 days of its occurrence. In case of delay a late fee will be charged by the registrar office, however, this is limited to a 30 days period, failing which the person has to file an affidavit from a notary public with the permission of the registrar. After successful registration, citizens will be able to obtain the certificate from the registrar’s office.

How Can I get Death Certificates Online

With the digital India movement the government has made birth and death certificates accessible online. In many states of India several districts are offering registration of birth and death online. 

The advantages of online registration of birth and death certificates has led to many states and districts to adapt to the digital process. However, there are still a number of districts where availability of digital processes is not available. 

Below is the step by step process of obtaining Death Certificate Online

The digitization has proved to be an important tool in making government services better, not only it helps in creating a seamless experience for users but it also helps in reducing administrative burden from government officials. Let us take look at the steps involved

1. Visit the e-service portal of the area or the competent authority like Municipal Corporation of Delhi (https://mcdonline.nic.in/rbdndmc/web/citizen/info)
2. Generate login credential by providing key details like phone number
3. Review the application from for eligibility requirement
4. Gather relevant documents
5. Complete the online form 
6. Submit with supporting documentation
7. If applicable pay fee
8. Get the tracking information

You will be notified once the certificate is available online.Once the certificate is available online you will be able to download securely.

It is important to remember that many of the areas still do not have online facilities available for registration of birth and death. In those areas the user needs to get the registration done in conventional method by making a physical visit to the registrar office.

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How Many Death Certificates are Issued?

Usually the authorities issue only 1 death certificate in case there is a requirement for more than 1 certificate you can request additional copies from the registrar office. However additional copies may attract additional charges.

Documenting Departures: Insaaf99 You Legal Guide for Seamlessly Obtaining Death Certificates

Insaaf99 an online legal consultation platform harnesses the power of digital technology to provide you legal consultation from an adept lawyer from the comfort of home and office. We offer a wide range of legal services to support your legal requirements. We understand how tough it can be to deal with the departure of someone you love. In the times when you are emotionally drained but have to perform the legal formalities for compliance, Insaaf99 comes to your aid with comprehensive solutions.

Legal Guidance: You can quickly consult with our legal expert to know the requirement and the entire process of registering the event of death. Our expert lawyer will provide you with complete guidance in obtaining the certificate.

Documentation Services: An important document like a death certificate will require compliance and preciseness in the document you submit to authorities. We can help you with the documentation process by creating an accurate draft.

Helping with Online Submission: Our legal expert can help you navigate the online government portal for successful submission. We provide comprehensive support for online submission of death registration applications.

Insaaf99 is your trustable ally in your legal needs with our services you can get a death certificate registered with ease.

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