This Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) issue is honestly looking very frustrating now,because citizens are not asking for some favour here . They are trying to correct birth certificate names,and still getting pushed toward courts despite Karnataka High Court already saying process can be handled by Registrar of Births and Deaths.
Karnataka High Court had made it clear that Registrar has authority to make both clerical and substantial changes,if applicants give proper affidavits . Meaning not just spelling mistakes,but bigger name changes also can be processed administratively.
And this is exactly why people are angry . If court has already said civil courts should not be loaded with these matters,then why are common citizens still being forced to file cases for basic record correction?
In June alone,approximately 95 original suits have been filed in courts because MCC rejected name change requests . That is not small thing ah . It shows how one administrative refusal can create unnecessary legal headache for so many families.
Few things standing out clearly in this case:
- Karnataka High Court ruling says Registrars can make substantial name changes.
- Approximately 95 original suits filed in June show backlog caused by MCC's rejections .
- High Court wants such administrative process kept away from civil courts .
But despite all this,Anil Prabhu,the MCC Central Zonal Commissioner acting as Registrar,has reportedly continued saying he can only rectify spelling errors . And tbh,this is where matter becomes uncomfortable,because that stand appears to go against what court already clarified.
Now Dakshina Kannada District Legal Services Authority has stepped in,which itself shows situation has gone beyond normal office delay . Advocate Sukesh Kumar Shetty also pointed out that High Court ruling should allow registrars to act without fear of legal trouble.
Problem is,people stuck in this are the ones paying price . Civil suits mean time,money,stress and repeated visits,when High Court has already said such matters need not go there only.
And at same time,this raises bigger question about how public offices respond after court directions . If one clear order still does not change ground-level practice,then what is ordinary citizen supposed to do next…
