The Kerala Cabinet has given in-principle approval to introduce a permanent Nativity Card with photo identification, a move the state government says will simplify identity verification for residents but which has triggered strong political opposition from the BJP.
Announcing the decision on Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the proposed Nativity Card would replace the existing nativity certificate system and prevent residents from repeatedly having to prove their birth or long-term residence in the state.
“The plight of people being forced to prove their own existence is worrying. No one should be excluded. For this, a person must have an authentic document with legal backing,” Vijayan said at a press conference.
According to the Chief Minister, nativity certificates currently lack statutory validity and must be obtained multiple times for different purposes, a long-standing grievance raised by the public. The new Nativity Card, once enacted through legislation, will serve as a legally valid and permanent document for accessing state government services and other social benefits. It may also function as an identification document for beneficiaries of government welfare schemes.
The Cabinet has directed the Revenue Department, in consultation with the Law Department, to prepare a draft law to provide statutory backing for the Nativity Card and submit it for Cabinet approval. Tahsildars will be responsible for issuing the cards.
However, the announcement has sparked political controversy. The Bharatiya Janata Party criticised the proposal, calling it an example of “dangerous separatist politics.”
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the party would legally challenge the move, arguing that there was no public demand for a separate identity document for Kerala residents. He also accused the state government of creating unnecessary fear among citizens and alleged that the decision was intended to divert attention from the ruling front’s poor performance in recent local body elections.
The state government has not yet announced a timeline for implementing the Nativity Card, with further steps dependent on legislative approval.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
