LAHORE: Under the newly-enforced Birth and Death Registration Rules 2025, the local government & community development department has waived all fees related to the registration of births and deaths, as well as issuance of computerised certificates, for a period up to past seven years.

The waiver of fees is a part of the government’s broader initiative to streamline the public service delivery and reduce the financial burden on people.

The new rules, officially notified in the Punjab Gazette, aim to make the civil registration process more transparent, efficient, and citizen-friendly.

According to the department, no fee will be charged from the people for birth or death registrations within seven years of the event.

Moreover, applicants will also be able to obtain computerised certificates free of cost within this period.

The initiative, the department says, has been aligned with the government’s vision to provide accessible and affordable service delivery to the public at large.

Under the updated framework, the window for regular registration has been extended from 60 days to one year. Furthermore, the requirement of a court decree for late registration has been abolished — except in cases where registration is delayed by more than seven years. In such cases, a newspaper advertisement and registration fee will be mandatory.

However, for death registrations exceeding seven years, a court decree will remain a legal requirement.

The rules also redefine administrative authority over the registration process. Registrations for children up to one year of age will fall under the jurisdiction of the union council secretary. Those between one and seven years will be handled by the assistant director of local government. The registrations delayed beyond seven years will require the approval of the deputy director concerned.

The reforms have been introduced under the chief minister’s special instructions to ensure timely and accurate civil registration, eliminate procedural hurdles and uphold the fundamental rights of all citizens.

“The government is committed to delivering free, dignified and efficient services to every resident of the province,” a department official says.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2025