Mumbai: In the backdrop of rising concerns over duplicate entries in the draft voters list, the Maharashtra Revenue Department has initiated decisive action to eliminate fraudulent records. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has directed all officers under his department to immediately cancel birth and death certificates issued solely on the basis of Aadhaar details or those found suspicious in nature.
A circular issued on Thursday outlines a 16-point verification checklist for officials including Tehsildars, Sub-Divisional Officers, District Collectors, and Divisional Commissioners. The action follows instructions issued during a high-level meeting between the Additional Chief Secretary of Home and the Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue.
As per the directive, birth and death certificates issued by Naib Tehsildars after 11 August 2023—following procedural amendments—will be reviewed and cancelled if issued without proper documentation. The government reiterated that Aadhaar cannot be treated as proof of date or place of birth, citing central government guidelines.
To expedite the exercise, the Revenue Department has instructed district administrations to conduct special review drives and clearance camps under the supervision of Collectors and Divisional Commissioners.
The crackdown includes strict criminal action. If discrepancies are found between details on the Aadhaar card and the corresponding application submitted to obtain the certificate, an FIR will be registered against the applicant. Beneficiaries who fail to return invalid certificates or are untraceable will be declared as absconding, and local police will initiate legal proceedings.
Preliminary investigations have identified several hotspots across the state with unusually high instances of irregular certificates. These include Amravati, Sillod, Akola, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Latur, Anjangaon Surji, Achalpur, Pusad, Parbhani, Beed, Georai, Jalna, Ardhapur, and Parli. Officials in these locations have been instructed to prioritize verification and enforcement.
The move comes amid allegations that fraudulent birth records are being used for illegal benefits, including manipulated voter registration. Traditionally, the Health Department issues birth and death certificates within the first year, while delayed records are processed through the Revenue Department. However, large-scale misuse of documents has been detected in recent months.
Speaking on the development, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the initiative aims to dismantle rackets operating on forged identification. “Fake certificates obtained using bogus documents will be cancelled, and strict legal action will follow. This is essential to protect the integrity of state records,” he stated.
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