Bengaluru: The high court has pulled up the Greater Bengaluru Authority, formerly BBMP, for issuing a death certificate in the name of a living person, and then steadfastly refusing to rectify the mistake.Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum, who was hearing a petition filed by an RT Nagar resident, M Basha, directed the civic authorities to ensure that a cancellation endorsement of the death certificate is issued by Wednesday. In oral remarks, the judge also said the officers responsible have to be hauled up for this.The petitioner’s Aadhaar card was submitted to a cancer hospital where his cousin, Shamsuddin, was undergoing treatment. However, after the cousin died, the authorities issued a death certificate in the name of the petitioner, dated April 23, 2025. This had a cascading effect, including the fear of deactivation of the Aadhaar card of the petitioner, and there was also a threat of disruption to his banking activities. Despite repeated representations/requests with sufficient proof, no remedial action was taken, according to the petitioner’s counsel, Ashwini Obulesh.Challenging the action of the civic authorities, the petitioner claimed that despite the Registration of Births and Deaths Act providing for corrective action in such instances, no remedial action was taken, thereby seriously affecting his fundamental rights.
