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The communicative truthful far: As State measures to find individuality and citizenship roil the state and effect successful crisp socio-politial polarisation, the Kerala authorities has gone up with its determination to present a ‘Nativity Card’ arsenic a caller papers to beryllium residency.
The Cabinet precocious cleared the Kerala Nativity Card Bill that seeks to springiness ineligible backing to the nativity paper inaugural for issuing an authoritative individuality impervious to Keralites. On Monday (February 23, 2026), the Kerala Assembly referred the Bill to the Subject Committee connected Lane Revenue and Devaswom.
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The Bill was tabled successful the existent league of the Assembly, which resumed connected Monday (February 23, 2026).
The connection to present the Nativity Card, which had received the Cabinet’s in-principle support connected December 24, comes against the backdrop of the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rotation and the consequent concerns implicit citizenship.
The Revenue section successful consultation with the Law section had been tasked with preparing a draught instrumentality to supply ineligible validity to the nativity card.
What is simply a nativity card?
The State authorities plans to rotation retired the nativity cards arsenic a caller recognition papers to found one’s individuality arsenic a Keralite.
The paper is modelled connected the nativity certificate presently issued by the State’s Revenue department. However, the conditions for issuing nativity certificates person been stipulated lone arsenic per authorities order.
The nativity paper that incorporates beneficiary photograph is conceived arsenic an authoritative, legally valid, imperishable individuality impervious that fosters a consciousness of pridefulness successful being some an Indian and a Keralite.
What are the aims and the benefits of the nativity card?
The authorities intends to contented the nativity cards to each radical calved successful the State. It volition beryllium utilized to entree State authorities services, assistance, and different “social requirements,” and truthful tin beryllium utilized arsenic a beneficiary recognition document.
The nativity cards are pitched arsenic a consolidated papers that volition regenerate the nativity certificates, which presently person to beryllium obtained clip and again whenever a request arises.
Who tin use for a nativity card?
The Bill defines a ‘native’ arsenic idiosyncratic who was calved successful Kerala but has not accepted overseas citizenship oregon idiosyncratic who has a Kerala-born ancestor who had not accepted overseas citizenship.
Individuals who person relinqushed citizenship volition not beryllium eligible for the card. If a idiosyncratic accepts overseas citizenship aft receiving the card, the paper volition beryllium null and void. People calved extracurricular Kerala to parents oregon ancestors who were extracurricular the State for enactment oregon livelihood-related reasons and who person not received overseas citizenship volition besides beryllium considered a ‘native.’
How to use for a nativity card?
Applications for the paper person to beryllium submitted successful the stipulated format to the bureau acrophobic on with supporting documents and fee.
The tahsildar is the designated authorization for sanctioning the nativity card.
Action should beryllium taken connected the applications wrong a fixed clip frame.
The paper tin beryllium updated with accusation arsenic required by the authorities from clip to time. The cardholder tin besides use for immoderate introduction alteration on with supporting documents to the tahsildar.
If a paper is irrevocably lost, destroyed, damaged, oregon not acceptable for use, the tahsildar volition behaviour an probe into an exertion of the paper holder and contented a duplicate paper taxable to conditions and by charging a fee.
The tahsildar should support astatine the taluk bureau a registry connected the nativity cards issued with details.
How to entreaty against decision?
Any appeals successful the lawsuit of rejection of an exertion by the tahsildar tin beryllium submitted to the gross divisional serviceman (RDO). Any complaints connected the RDO’s bid tin beryllium submitted to the District Collector arsenic a revision petition. The Collector tin review, modify, oregon cancel orders issued by the RDO aft giving the applicant a tenable accidental to beryllium heard.
The Kerala Nativity Card Bill proposes a punishment of up to 3 months oregon a good up to ₹5,000 oregon some if an applicant furnishes accusation that is mendacious oregon believed to beryllium false.
What is the timeline for issuing the cards?
Once the Kerala Nativity Card Bill is passed by the Assembly, it volition person to beryllium signed by the Governor to go an Act. Rules volition beryllium framed past and the bundle for issuing the cards developed. The Kerala authorities hopes to statesman issuing the cards earlier its word ends successful a mates of months.
