Vedavyas Kamath slams MCC over suspension of birth and death certificate applications

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 8, 2026: Alleging that the suspension of applications at the Birth and Death Registration Unit of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has caused severe inconvenience to the public, Mangaluru South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath on Wednesday demanded that the civic body immediately resolve the issue.

The MCC has reportedly displayed a notice stating that applications at the Birth and Death Registration Unit will not be accepted until July 29, as its staff and officials have been deployed for SIR duties. Kamath questioned whether, according to the state government, there would be no births or deaths in Mangaluru for the next month.

“How will parents obtain birth certificates required for school admissions? What about those who need certificates for passport applications?” he asked at a press conference. He said that following complaints from the public, the corporation resumed accepting applications on Tuesday, but was allegedly imposing conditions stating that there would be no urgency in issuing certificates.

The MLA further criticised the Congress government, claiming that the fee for birth and death certificates, which was ₹5 during the BJP government, had been increased to ₹75. “If the corporation can stop accepting applications, it should also put up a board saying that it will not collect any taxes or accept bribes from the public for the next month,” he remarked.

Kamath alleged that the long queues outside the MCC office every day were proof of the hardships faced by the public under the Congress-led administration. He said the situation has led to frequent arguments between citizens and civic staff and urged the authorities to streamline the process and ensure smooth public services.

The MLA also raised concerns over delays in land conversion (conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes) within Mangaluru city limits. He said the state government had shifted the land conversion process from the Revenue Department to the Urban Development Authority (MUDA) without creating alternative arrangements.

According to him, all records and survey staff remain with the Revenue Department, while MUDA officials insist that land conversion cannot be processed without survey maps. On the other hand, Revenue Department officials claim they cannot prepare the maps due to government orders. As a result, land conversion applications have come to a standstill, affecting land transactions and causing hardship to the public, he alleged.

Kamath said representations had already been submitted to the Revenue Minister and the department’s secretary, and similar representations would also be submitted to the Urban Development Minister and the department’s secretary. He urged the state government to intervene immediately and address the difficulties faced by citizens.

Present at the press conference were BJP Mangaluru South Mandal President Ramesh Kandettu, general secretaries Ramesh Hegde and Lalesh Kumar, district general secretary Premananda Shetty, secretary Poornima and mandal office-bearer Mangala Achar.

Commenting on the SIR process, Kamath alleged that the state Congress government was misusing the administrative machinery. He claimed that people were being gathered at single locations to distribute and fill out SIR forms, forms of persons residing abroad were being filled and signed, and residence certificates were being used to process SIR applications. He further alleged that there was an attempt to include ineligible persons in the voters’ list and said that documentary evidence would be submitted to the Election Commission in this regard.