MARGAO
Why are citizens literally forced to swear ‘false affidavits’ stating that their birth records are not found registered in the Salcete sub-registrar office when they are in possession of their original birth documents issued by the very same offices?
With the ‘reconstruction’ of birth documents based on prescribed documents virtually put on hold, citizens have been left with no option but to swear false affidavits stating that their births are not found registered in the sub-registrar office when they are in possession of the original documents.
The instant case will provide an insight into the issue. Like many a beleaguered citizen, 50-year old Xavier Trinidade Fernandes, a resident of Sirvodem-Margao, was also left with no option, but to swear before a notary stating his birth is not found registered in the office of the birth registration as the books are left damaged.
“I had to swear ‘false affidavit’ in order to be produced in the office of the Sub Registrar of Birth and Deaths, Margao, for the purpose of obtaining non-availability certificate,” Xavier told The Goan.
What has agitated Xavier the most is that he had to swear false affidavit despite the fact that he is in possession of his original birth certificate, issued way back on March 30, 1972. “I have my original birth certificate with me which I had submitted to the Fatima Convent school for the Kindergarten admission. The registration no of the birth certificate is 1277 and the same was registered in the Salcete Sub-Registrar office on June 12, 1968,” he said.
Lamenting that the Sub-Registrar office no longer takes cognizance of the birth documents issued by the very same office around two decades ago, Xavier said his plea to the Salcete Sub-Registrar to issue him a birth certificate based on his original document and the Baptism certificate all fell on deaf ears before he was forced to go to a notary to swear on the affidavit.
Based on his affidavit and the Baptism document, the Sub Registrar of Births and Deaths, Margao has issued Xavier a Non-Availability Certificate. He, however, has a question or two for the government: “How can the sub-registrar claim that my birth registration cannot be found when I have the original documents in my possession”.
When The Goan called up State Registrar Ashutosh Apte to seek an answer on claims made by citizens that they are forced to swear false affidavits when they are in possession of original birth documents, he said the department is not ‘reconstructing’ the documents for want of implementation of the rules in force.
He conceded that citizens are told to swear affidavits stating that their births are not found registered in the office of the birth registration, but hastened to add that the Goa Reconstruction of Records Acts is not being implemented for want of clear cut rules. “Given the situation, I will move the government to guide his office on how to go about the matter when citizens come with their original documents,” Apte said.
Xavier, however, pointed out that government should bail out citizens from the ordeal of not just swearing false affidavits, but to cough up huge money to engage lawyers to move applications before the civil courts for registration of their births.
