Women's Day continues! Mother’s name now compulsory on govt. documents in Maharashtra

Following Women’s Day on March 8, Maharashtra Cabinet has made it mandatory for every individual to include their mother's name, in all government documents. This rule applies to birth certificates, property documents, Aadhar cards, and PAN cards.

The said decision by the state government is to be implemented from May 1, 2024. Following which, the records of children born on or after May 1, 2024, will require their names, mother’s name, father’s name and then, the surname - be it educational documents, revenue documents, pay slips, service book, or application forms for various examinations. However, orphans and other similar cases, will be exempted from entering registration details in birth/death certificates.

In the case of married women, as per the existing system, the process of registration would be continued after their marriage, with the girl’s name, followed by her husband's name and surname. Additionally, permission has been granted for a woman to include her original surname in the property document.

Further, on March 11, Delhi High Court announced a similar order that specified, that the names of mothers must also be reflected in a student's educational documents, certificates, degrees and other school or college documents. The order states, “The artificial gender-based mental distinction that we have, over ages, drawn, based on a chance chromosomal circumstance, is now all but effaced. If there is still, among us, anyone who retains that mental block, it is time he woke up and smelt the coffee."