₹1,000 for OTP bribe delays birth, death certificates in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Birth and death certificates in several parts of the city are allegedly being approved only after officials receive bribes. Applicants said some officials are collecting ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 per application through computer operators acting as intermediaries.

Officials linked OTP to bribe demand

The authority to approve birth and death certificate applications lies with assistant medical officers and assistant municipal commissioners. To prevent misuse, the system requires a one-time password (OTP) sent to the official’s number before approval. However, some officials are reportedly exploiting this rule — demanding bribes of ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 per OTP, promising approval only after payment.

There are around 5,000 applications pending across 30 circles, with nearly 3,000 awaiting approval for over two months. Most affected applicants are poor families whose children were born in government hospitals.

Poor families face added hurdles

Hospital staff are said to be carelessly recording parents’ names, causing errors in birth certificates. MeeSeva operators are allegedly repeating the same mistakes while issuing certificates. Problems surface when parents apply for Aadhaar cards or school admissions.

To correct errors, parents must visit MeeSeva centres again, submit affidavits and supporting documents, and often pay bribes to get corrections approved. Nearly 99% of correction applications reportedly involve certificates issued by government hospitals.

Delays across city circles

For instance, an application filed on July 27 (No. BCNC0725025319) for naming a child remains unapproved. Similarly, another filed on August 20 (No. CNIO22502429108) by a Begumpet resident is still pending. Even though online tracking is available, officials have been rejecting applications, asking citizens to reapply with the same documents.