KMC cracks down on birth cert racket after TOI report
Times of India | 7 February 2026
Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) brass has cracked the whip on a section of civic employees posted at the birth certificate wing, where a racket is allegedly demanding exorbitant prices for birth certificates in the wake of a rush triggered by the ongoing SIR process.
After TOI on Tuesday published a report on the birth certificate racket, giving specific examples of harassment of the citizens, the KMC health department bosses on Wednesday ordered the installation of CCTV cameras at all sensitive zones, including the certificate record room. Senior health department officials were asked to conduct surprise checks at specific zones to get the real picture. The civic bosses also expressed their opinion in favour of a reshuffle in the birth certificate wing to weed out malpractice, sources in the health department said.
Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh, who also oversees the KMC health department, said the civic body won't compromise on citizens' right to access a hassle-free birth certificate application process. "We decided to entertain each citizen who applies through the Chatbot and deliver certificates if the documents they submit are found to be genuine. Any malpractice by any of our workers will invite stern action," said Ghosh.
According to a KMC source, a section of KMC birth certificate wing workers, hand in glove with touts, is running a racket for selling birth certificates at a premium. On Friday last week, a citizen known to be close to KMC chairperson Mala Roy was offered a tatkal slot for Rs 30,000. The matter turned serious after the applicant called Roy and informed her about the ‘offer'.
The racket is thriving on the desperation of a section of citizens who need a birth or death certificate at the earliest to secure their voting rights. When patience runs out for an applicant who is in urgent need of obtaining such a certificate, he or she is forced to approach a tout who is connected to a section of employees of the KMC birth or death certificate wing. If an applicant gets a good deal and pays extra for the certificate, it is delivered without hassle. "You don't have to search for a tout if you are willing to pay; they will spot you. Then, following a bargain, you need to book your certificate by paying some amount in advance," said a KMC health department official, requesting anonymity.
According to a KMC official, the scene was particularly bad when it came to issuing birth and death certificates under special registration rules. "Under the Special Registration Act, we take more time in issuing birth or death certificates compared to a simple registration process, as we need to check several documents before satisfying ourselves that all documents are genuine," the civic official said. He conceded that the touts demand anything between Rs 10,000 and Rs 30,000 for handing out a birth or death certificate under special registration rules.