Government of West Bengal
Health & Family Welfare Department
Swasthya Bhawan, 29, Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata – 700091
No. 207-Secy(HFW)/2026 Date: 23.07.2026
NOTIFICATION
In exercise of the powers conferred by the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 and sub-rule (1) of Rule 7 of the West Bengal Registration of Births and Deaths Rules, 2000, and in supersession of all previous notifications, orders or instructions issued in this behalf, including Notification No. HF/O/FW/4C-2/941/174-P dated 19th May, 1997, whereby Gram Panchayat Pradhans were appointed as Sub-Registrars for their respective Gram Panchayat areas, amendment of notification no H/PW/779/A-7/2000 dated 30/9/2000 regarding appointment of Chairman Municipality as appointing authority of Registrar and; Notification No. HF/O/F86A-03/2005 dated 15th December, 2005 regarding appointment of Additional District Registrars, except as respects anything done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Governor is pleased hereby to order as follows:-
1. In terms of sub-section (1) of section 6 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, the District Magistrate & Collector of each revenue district shall function as the District Registrar of Births and Deaths under the said Act and the rules made thereunder, and shall exercise all the powers and perform all the functions conferred upon the District Registrar under the said Act and the rules made thereunder.
2. The District Magistrate & Collector, in his/her capacity as the District Registrar, shall appoint the following officers as Registrars of Births and Deaths for the jurisdictions specified below, in accordance with sub-rule (1) of Rule 7 of the West Bengal Registration of Births and Deaths Rules, 2000, as amended vide Notification No. 205-Secy(HFW)/2026 dated 23rd July, 2026:-
(i) Block Medical Officer of Health (BMOH) of a Block Primary Health Centre (BPHC) and Superintendent of a Rural Hospital (RH) shall be the Registrar of Births and Deaths in respect of all institutional births and deaths occurring in the respective Rural Hospital, Block Primary Health Centre and all Primary Health Centres under his/her administrative control.
(ii) Superintendent of a District Hospital (DH), Sub-Divisional Hospital (SDH), State General Hospital (SGH) and State Specialty Hospital (SSH) situated in rural or urban areas, excluding Municipal Corporation areas, shall be the Registrar of Births and Deaths in respect of all births and deaths occurring in the respective institutions.
(iii) Medical Superintendent-cum-Vice Principal (MSVP) of each Medical College and Hospital shall be the Registrar of Births and Deaths in respect of all births and deaths occurring in the respective Medical College and Hospital situated in rural or urban areas, excluding Municipal Corporation areas.
3. The Additional District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Officer, Block Development Officer and Joint Municipal Commissioner(KMC) shall function as Additional District Registrars within their respective jurisdictions and shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be assigned under the Act and the rules made thereunder.
4. For each Gram Panchayat within his/her jurisdiction, the District Registrar shall appoint the Secretary of the Gram Panchayat or any other Government officer as the Registrar of Births and Deaths for that Gram Panchayat area.
5. With effect from the date of publication of this notification, Gram Panchayat Pradhans shall cease to function as Sub-Registrars of Births and Deaths for their respective Gram Panchayat areas.
6. In terms of the West Bengal Registration of Births and Deaths Rules, 2000, as amended vide Notification No. 205-Secy(HFW)/2026 dated 23rd July, 2026, the District Registrar shall appoint a Government officer as the Registrar of Births and Deaths for each Municipality within his/her jurisdiction.
7. Consequent upon the aforesaid amendment of the Rules, the Chairman, Executive Officer or Administrator of a Municipality shall cease to be the appointing authority for the Registrar of Births and Deaths.
8. In every Municipal Corporation area, the Municipal Commissioner shall appoint a Government officer as the Registrar of Births and Deaths for the respective Municipal Corporation area.
9. In the area of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, the Municipal Commissioner shall function as the District Registrar of Births and Deaths. In his/her capacity as the District Registrar, the Municipal Commissioner shall appoint a Government officer as the Registrar of Births and Deaths for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area.
10. This notification shall come into force with immediate effect.
By order of the Governor
Chief Secretary
Government of West Bengal