Receive full documentation for all aspects of Death Registration, We can help with Affidavits and Lost Documents.
NEW DEATH CERTIFICATE / NEW REGISTRATION
नई मौत प्रमाण पत्र / नया पंजीकरण
For a new death certificate you will first require a form 4-A which is to be filled by the concerned doctor. If you already have the same then click on death registration form.
LOST DEATH CERTIFICATE
मृत्यु प्रमाण पत्र खो गया
If the records are available in the local registrar office. Fill the declaration form given in this section with the address proof of the deceased and visit your local registrar office. If records are not available in the local registrar office. Visit the magistrate with the affidavit in this section.
CHANGE / CORRECTIONS
परिवर्तन / सुधार मृत्यु प्रमाण पत्र
Fill the forms in this section and enclose all the documents as mentioned in the form.
NEW DEATH CERTIFICATE / NEW REGISTRATION
For a new death certificate you will first require a form 4-A which is to be filled by the concerned doctor. If you already have the same then click on death registration form.
LOST DEATH CERTIFICATE
If the records are available in the local registrar office. Fill the declaration form given in this section with the address proof of the deceased and visit your local registrar office. If records are not available in the local registrar office. Visit the magistrate with the affidavit in this section. Then you will require a letter from the local registrar office.
CHANGE / CORRECTIONS
Fill the forms in this section and enclose all the documents as mentioned in the form.
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Death Certificate / Death Registration
No matter how much we run from it, death is something that none of us can really escape. Someone once said, paperwork is what separates us from the animals and just like everyone another human process, death also has a tonne of paperwork that needs to be handled. For starters, deaths have to be authenticated by medical professionals, and the process has to be carried out in all fairness by doctors. If a medical practitioner fails to issue a death certificate it can have multiple legal implications and issues for the family of the deceased. All the facts relating to the person’s death have to be verified by the medical practitioner before issuing a death certificate and cannot issue one under any pressure. The cause of death or probable cause of death needs to be mentioned, and doctors should do their utmost to mention it, but it should be concluded only on clinical findings and not extraneous factors.
A death certificate and the most probable cause of death can only be issued when the doctor treating the patient or individual is fully satisfied with the clinical diagnosis and corroborative tests. This could be an electrocardiogram in acute myocardial infarction or fluid in meningitis. A doctor may certify the death but the cause of death would have to be issued only after the verification and review of all facts of the cause, causing and resulting in the death itself. If the death was a suspicious one, caused due to unnatural causes, the doctor may only certify death but not the cause. They will have to inform the police to further investigate and handle a postmortem. Before issuing a death certificate, doctors must verify and ascertain the name, age, sex, religion, and address of the deceased.
If there are any corrections that have to be handled at a later stage, the next of kin would find it very difficult, which may even cause a delay in the finalization of a death claim, reimbursement of hospital bills, insurance claims, obtaining probate or succession certificate, settlement of property claims, release of gratuity and provident fund claims etc. The Maharashtra State Government Act, 1976 (Section 5(2)), stipulates that death must be informed within 72 hours to the local municipal authorities. Failure to do so is dealt under the Government of India Act of 1969 relating to registration of birth and death. Some states go as far as 21 days and all content for a death certificate has to be provided. Failure to do so leads to the payment of fines and even need more serious legal documentation would need to be handled.
Online portals.
| States in India | Link |
|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | https://onlineap.meeseva.gov.in |
| Arunachal Pradesh | https://imc.arunachal.gov.in/signup.html |
| Assam | |
| Bihar | http://crsorgi.gov.in/web/index.php/auth/signUp |
| Chhattisgarh | https://edistrict.cgstate.gov.in/P |
| Goa | https://goaonline.gov.in/ |
| Gujarat | |
| Haryana | http://saralharyana.gov.in |
| Himachal Pradesh | http://himachalforms.nic.in |
| Jammu and Kashmir | https://jk.gov.in/jammukashmir |
| Jharkhand | |
| Karnataka | |
| Kerala | https://cr.lsgkerala.gov.in |
| Madhya Pradesh | https://www.mpenagarpalika.gov.in |
| Maharashtra | Birth and Death Registration online Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai https://aaplesarkar.mahaonline.gov.in/en/Registration/Register |
| Meghalaya | |
| Mizoram | http://desmizo.nic.in |
| Nagaland | |
| Odisha | https://www.odishaonline.gov.in |
| Punjab | http://punjab.gov.in/ |
| Rajasthan | https://pehchan.raj.nic.in/ |
| Sikkim | |
| Tamil Nadu | http://www.etownpanchayat.com/ |
| Telangana | https://ts.meeseva.telangana.gov.in/meeseva/registration.htm |
| Tripura | |
| Uttar Pradesh | |
| Uttarakhand | |
| West Bengal | https://edistrict.wb.gov.in |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | |
| Chandigarh | |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli | |
| Daman and Diu | https://edistrictdd.gov.in/ |
| Delhi | http://111.93.47.72/csbndmc/rbd/onlinedeathcertificates.php |
- Andaman Application for Death Certificate
- - Click to download Andaman Death Certificate form
- Arunachal Pradesh Application for Death Certificate
- - Click to download Arunachal Pradesh Death Certificate form
- Assam Application for Death Certificate
- - Click to download Arunachal Pradesh Death Certificate form
- Chandigarh Application for Death Certificate
- - Click to download Chandigarh Death Certificate form
- Meghalaya Application for Death Certificate
- - Click to download Meghalaya Death Certificate form
- Mizoram Application for Death Certificate
- - Click to download Mizoram Death Certificate form
- Rajasthan Application for Death Certificate
- - Click to download Rajasthan Death Certificate form
- Sikkim Application for Death Certificate
- - Click to download Sikkim Death Certificate form
- Sikkim Application for Death Certificate Verification
- - Click to download Sikkim Death Certificate Verification form
- Agartala Application for Death Certificate
- - Click to download Agartala Death Certificate form
- Haryana Application for Death Certificate
- - Click to download Haryana Death Certificate form
- Madhya Pradesh Application for Death Certificate
- - Click to download Madhya Pradesh Death Certificate form
What is a death certificate?
The words death certificate refer to a document mentioning the status of an individual, no longer alive. This certificate proclaiming the death of a person can be issued by either a medical practitioner or the registrar of vital statistics. The other details mentioned in this document includes the date, location, and cause of death which might be later entered in an official register of death.
The legal framework.
In India, the law dictates and makes it compulsory, under the Registration of Births & Deaths Act, 1969, that every death has to be registered with the State or Union Territory within 21 days from the occurrence. To make this process easier, the Government created a streamlined system for the registration of deaths. These registrations have to be handled through the Registrar General at the centre, Chief Registrars in the States, district registrars in villages, and town registrars at the periphery.
Pre-requisites
A death certificate has to be issued free of charge and cannot be withheld for pending fee payment from the relatives and friends of the deceased. Only a single copy of the death certificate can be issued. The doctor should always maintain a copy of the death certificate so it can be referred to at a later point if needed. Death certificates have to be issued by registered medical practitioners who
a) have been medical attendants of the deceased during their life span.
b) has attended to the patient at some point in time in 14 days prior to their death.
c) is satisfied and has enough evidence to point to the cause of death.
If necessary, a duplicate true copy of the death certificate has to be issued. Death certificates are necessary even in cases of still-born or premature newborn children. It is a requirement to view the entire body carefully before issuing a death certificate. It should not be signed blank leaving the details to be filled out by someone else.
If two or more doctors are running a partnership practice, one doctor should not certify the cause of death of his colleague’s patient unless he too had attended the patient in the last 14 days prior to the patient's death.
No certificate should be issued in
a) cases of sudden death when the patient has not been examined by the doctor prior to his/her death.
b) cases falling within the purview of the Coroner’s Act.
c) deaths that are unexpected, unexplained, unnatural, under suspicious circumstances and of the people in the custody of police or public institutions like remand homes and asylums, and under medical procedures should be reported to the Coroner.
The qualifications mentioned at the end of the certificate should be those registered by the Indian or State Medical Council. In most cases, these are confined to a qualifying degree and not to a variety of post-graduate diplomas. It is also the medical practitioner’s responsibility to forward D.C. to the registering authority, though it is usually sent through a relative of the deceased, who receives a permit to dispose of the dead body only after the death certificate is issued.
Importance
A death certificate is an important legal document whether from the point of view of the deceased individual or his/her next of kin. This document, once correctly filled out and completed is absolutely essential for a bunch of legal reasons and other responsibilities, but mainly because the cremation or burial passes are obtained from the municipal authorities only on receiving it. The final rites of the deceased can take place as per his/her religion, without loss of time and any inconvenience to relatives and friends with this document after getting the right permissions.
The proper registration with the local municipal authorities, mentioning all the details of the death certificate of the deceased person, has to be thoroughly handled so that their life insurance claim and settlement can be processed easily. All legal dues like gratuity, provident fund, and family pension can be settled from the office of the deceased if he/she was a salaried individual. The distribution of movable and immovable property (as per his/her last Testament or Will) can be bequeathed to the legal heirs accordingly. The executor of the Will is allowed to obtain a certified copy of the death certificate from local municipal authorities before proceeding to obtain probate or succession certificate from a civil court. A legal claim under personal accident benefit policy can be processed in case of accidental death as well. Another aspect that is often overlooked but has to be handled all the same is the deletion of the deceased person’s name from the Ration Card, or from movable or immovable property extract like sharing, house or flat, etc. will also need a certified copy of the duly completed death certificate.
The nature of the certificate.
All Governmental jurisdictions provide forms used to kick start the registration process. These are rather self-explanatory and mention the steps necessary to be legally produced. One of the main reasons for having such a form is to find the cause of death. This has to be done to find foul play, if any, in regard to the death, or to rule out accidental death or murder based on the findings of the medical examiner.
A death certificate is quite often needed when arranging for the burial or cremation and to provide evidence about the fact of death, which would later be used to prove the will of the deceased or claim life insurance.
Lastly, death certificates are used in matters relating to public health to compile information relating to the cause of death and other statistics.
The authorities usually need a physician’s or coroner’s certificate, validating the identity and cause of death before issuing a death certificate. In some cases, like individuals who are on life support, it might not be clear whether they are dead or alive so a neurologist would have to verify the level of brain activity and fill out the required documents. If a physician fails to submit the forms mentioning these details to the Government department immediately, whether, for insurance purposes or anything else, they could lose their practising license. This has been put in place mainly because of past issues where deceased individuals have been receiving Government benefits and even voted in elections. Death certificates can also be issued following a court or executive order for individuals who have been declared dead in absentia. Victims of mass disaster and missing persons might be provided with their death certificates in the same manner.
Depending on the circumstance, police officers or medical practitioners like paramedics may be allowed to sign death certificates. These are rare instances, not the norm and are only allowed to do so when there are no signs of foul play and the cause of death is obvious, such as in extreme old age, wherein autopsies are barely performed. This isn't always the rule and changes from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, in some cases where cops are allowed to sign certificates for children dying of sudden infant death syndrome but in most other deaths under 18 year, they have to be certified by a physician. Other examples of deaths being certified by the police without there being a medical examiner would be incidents without any chance of survival, for instance, a car crash where the victim has been decapitated. However, an autopsy would be conducted to make sure no alcohol or drugs were in the deceased individual's system, which could have been the cause of the crash.
A full explanation of the cause of death includes four items:
- The immediate cause of death, for example, the heart-stopping,
- The intermediate causes, which triggered the immediate cause, for examples a myocardial infarction,
- The underlying causes, which triggered the chain of events leading to death, for example, atherosclerosis, and
- Any other diseases and disorders the person might have been suffering from at the time of death, even though not directly connected to the cause the death.
Reasons for individuals to apply for death certificates.
As mentioned earlier, a death certificate has a lot of information relating to the deceased individual on it, the most significant being the cause of death, the location of death, and the time of death. Having all this information, a death certificate is important because it serves as proof of the incident for legal purposes like collecting pensions, medical benefits, claiming insurance, and other commitments.
Who is allowed to register a death?
Whoever is registering the death should make sure they get it done within 21 days from the actual date that the death occurred. This is usually handled by
If the death took place in a home, the head of the household is eligible to register it in the concerned Registrar Office.
If the individual passed away in a hospital, a person authorized by the medical institution is responsible for recording /registering the death in the respective Registrar Office.
If the incident were to happen in prison, the jail in-charge can register it with the concerned Registrar Office.
If death occurs in a public place, the local police in charge of the village are legally obligated to record it.
International Format
The International Classification of Diseases should be referred to when creating a death certificate if it is possible for the purpose of maintaining uniformity and facilitating the faster retrieval of data through the computerization process.
The death certificate recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) for International use, is in two parts:
The first part records
(a) the “disease or condition directly leading to the death”
(b) the Antecedent Causes.
For instance the “morbid conditions, if any, that could have given rise to the cause mentioned in (a). Thus, “(a)” must be due to “(b)” which must be due to “(c)”, etc. The basic pathological condition is mentioned on the lowermost line, and this is the one that is used for statistical and epidemiological purposes. The symptomatology or mode of death e.g. cardio-respiratory failure, asthenia, or asphyxia etc., should not be recorded in the cause of death unless explained.
The second part records
(a) other significant conditions contributing to death, but not related to the disease or condition causing it”. The underlying cause of death is explained as “the disease which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death”.
International forms are used by different municipal authorities across India and are available for doctors if they need them. Doctors should necessarily use their rubber stamp after affixing the signature to the death certificate. Printed forms are made available by the municipal authorities to doctors and hospitals for issuing a death certificate
The root of mortality data is the death certificate, which makes it so relevant. It helps ensure national and international comparability and is necessary to have a uniform, consistent, and standardized system of recording and classification of deaths. According to a recommendation by the Brodrick Committee, doctors aren’t allowed to issue death certificates, unless they have attended to the deceased at least once in the last seven days preceding the death. The accuracy of a death certificate should be raised from the present level of "to the best of knowledge and belief” to one of “confidence”.
List of documents needed to receive a death certificate.
- Proof of birth of the deceased.
- An affidavit with the exact date and time of death.
- A copy of the ration card.
- The required fee to be paid in court fee stamps.
- The person requesting the death certificate is required to provide the evidence of a relationship with the deceased and complete address, along with a mention of their nationality.
The death records.
Although death records are handled by the registrar's office, they are not public records. This means they can only be collected and given to individuals who have a personal or property right with the deceased. If you are not related to the deceased, you have to provide a document or letter mentioning your reason for needing the death certificate, along with a letter from the office or agency asking for the certificate.
How to obtain the information concerning a death certificate?
The process mentioned above is for a person to submit the information of an individual's death in India so the Government can create an official government death certificate. Very often people wish to look for the death certificate information of a deceased ancestor for genealogical research reasons. In such a case, a researcher will have to contact the agency in charge of recording the death certificate information, depending on the Indian state where the individual passed away.
The Chief Registrar's Office or Area Magistrate's Office in each Indian state or region within a state will look after this information. It can also be found online so they would be in a better position of finding the office, and directions to the same. They would even be able to get it off the Government website, by looking for, ‘How to get a Death Certificate in India. Some states even provide the information online but printing it out might not be considered valid for any legal purposes. Since all states have not moved online, this information might not be available of remote or rural states or even regional Governments. Gathering this information might also need the payment of a small fee, which again would depend on the website or state.
It is the duty of certain persons to notify births and deaths and to certify the cause of death.
(1) It shall be the duty of
(i) the midwife or any other medical or health attendants at the time of the birth.
(ii) the keeper or owner of a place set apart for the disposal of dead bodies.
iii) any person required by a local authority to be present at such place
(iv) any other person specified by the State Government on their behalf by his designation, to notify every birth or death or both at which he or she was present, or which occurred in such areas as may be prescribed to the Registrar within such time and manner as may be prescribed.
(2) The State Government with regard to the facilities available in this behalf may require a certificate stating the cause of death which can be obtained by the Registrar from such person and in such form as may be prescribed.
(3) The State Government has required under sub-section (2) that a certificate stating the cause of death shall be obtained, in the event of the death of any person who, during his last illness, was attended by a medical practitioner, the medical practitioner shall, after the death of that person, forthwith, issue without charging any fee, to the person required under this Act to give information concerning the death, a certificate in the prescribed form stating to the best of his knowledge and belief the cause of death ; and the certificate shall be received and delivered by such person to the Registrar at the time of giving information concerning the death as required by this Act.
Post-mortem Examination
In the past, if a patient died in less than twenty-four hours from their admission to a hospital, it was a compulsion to conduct a post mortem to ascertain the exact cause of death. Thanks to the tremendous advances in modern medical science and technological developments in imaging, and electronic and laboratory equipment, four to six hours are enough to diagnose a majority of the cases admitted to hospital in an emergency. Thus, a complete diagnosis can be handled before death and in a majority of cases, a postmortem is not required if the death occurred due to disease or natural illness. However, if there were suspicious condition surrounding the death of the individual, a medico-legal postmortem is mandatory to ascertain the exact cause of death.
A past practice required all bodies, where deaths occurred in medico-legal cases, to be sent for a medico-legal postmortem. With major advances in technological and scientific knowledge, an accurate diagnosis is possible in almost all cases. So, wherever possible, the death certificate and cause of death may be issued in medico-legal cases. However, it must be noted that the death certificate must be handed over to the police along with the dead body for the final ‘Panchanama’. The police authorities have the final say in this matter, on the off chance that there was foul play. If the police authorities still want a postmortem, they can order for one. In cases registered under Indian Penal Code (Sec. 498-A), due precautions must be taken before issuing the cause of death.
Social Issues
A death certificate is a predicament in any doctor’s practice with every doctor facing a situation or dilemma of whether or not to issue a death certificate. The relatives of the deceased may plead, persuade, pressurize, offer a price, and at times, even threaten the doctor when it comes to receiving the death certificate. This could tempt the doctor to issue one even in doubtful situations; purely on humanitarian grounds or fearing to lose a client. Doctors are advised to tread carefully and apply great caution while issuing one as the final certificate may unwittingly cause the destruction of evidence in connection to a crime. Once the body is cremated, all evidence is lost. In such a situation, the doctor may find himself in trouble with the law, and serious action will be taken against him.
In India, General Practitioners (G.P.) are usually family physicians and have their regular clientele, very often knowing the history and exact details of their clients, off the top of their heads. Whenever required, these patients visit the same GP’s clinic. If a regular patient, who has not been examined recently, dies, the doctor faces a predicament when it comes to issuing the death certificate. A similar situation is experienced by the G.P. when called to attend to a critically ill, unknown patient who is staying as a guest in the house of his acquaintance or client who might be a regular patient. If such a patient dies, before receiving any treatment from the doctor, social pressure forces the doctor to issue a death certificate. If the G.P. has seen and treated the patient in the last 14 days, he is justified in issuing one, otherwise, he may land-up with legal issues.
The G.P. is advised to properly explain the situation to his clients or acquaintances and politely decline to yield under pressure. They are further advised to guide the family on the next steps and the following procedures to obtain a death certificate. Patients are quite often open to this reducing the chances of losing them. The Code of Medical Ethics permits the overriding of the confidentiality rule and disclosure of the fact that the deceased was suffering from HIV/AIDS infection. This exception to the Code of Medical Ethics is permitted in public interest since it would be significantly relevant.
Informant to sign the register.
Every person who has orally given to the Registrar any information required under this Act shall write in the register maintained in this behalf, his name, description, and place of abode. If the individual cannot write, shall add a thumb impression in the register against his name, description and place of abode, the particulars being in such a case entered by the Registrar.
Extracts of registration entries to be given to informant.-
The Register shall, as soon as the registration of a birth or death has been completed, give, free of charge, to the person who gives information under section 8 or 9 an extract of the prescribed particulars under his hand from the register relating to such birth or death.
Delayed registration of the births and deaths.
Any birth or death of which information is given to the Registrar after the expiry of the period specified therefor, but within thirty days of its occurrence, shall be registered on payment of a late fee as may be prescribed.
Any birth or death of which delayed information is provided to the Registrar after more than thirty days but within a year of the incident shall be registered only with the written permission of the prescribed authority, payment of the prescribed fee, and production of an affidavit made before a public notary or any officer authorised in this behalf by the State Government.
Any birth or death not registered in a year of its occurrence shall be registered only on an order made by a magistrate of the first class or a Presidency Magistrate after verifying the correctness of the birth or death and on payment of the prescribed fee.
The provisions of this section shall be without prejudice to any action taken against a person for failure to register any birth or death in the specified time therefor and any such birth or death may be registered during the pendency of any such action.
Errors in Death Certificate
It is often noticed that some rectification and corrections may be required in a death certificate. If any such irregularities are noticed by relatives of the deceased, it is possible for the doctor issuing it to correct them before the cremation or burial rites are obtained from the Municipal Authorities. However, a correction involves a long legal process if it is noticed at a later stage. The next of kin will have to struggle to get even minor corrections taken care of and for lack of such rectifications, insurance claims, gratuity, provident fund, etc. remain unsettled, causing a lot of inconvenience to members of the bereaved family.
Therefore, the doctor should be very careful in filling up details in D.C. like name, age, sex, religion and address and the cause of death.
