Many people are facing difficulty registering their children for census owing to the lack of awareness. The civil registration rules require a child to be registered within a year after birth.
In Wangdue Phodrang alone, 500 cases related to census registration of children had been reported until, last year.
Chador, 33, from Bjenag Gewog in Wangdue Phodrang was not able to register his daughter who is now already eight years old.
He said he had sent all the documents to get his child registered through his father-in-law.
“I did not know that my father-in-law failed to submit the documents to the gewog administration.”
He said he came to know only after his daughter turned one year and a month old.
Chador put up an application immediately but his daughter is yet to be registered.
“I went to the concerned authorities several times but there is no clear system for follow-ups.”
Similarly, Phuntsho Wangmo, 39, from Gaselo said her daughter was denied registration following an error in the father’s name. Her child’s health card reflects a different name than her father’s in his Identity Card.
She said the changes have been made but she is still apprehensive if her daughter would get an Identity card when she turns 18.
Bhutan Citizenship Act, 1977 states if a child is more than one year and still not registered in the official record; registration is not permitted but may be applied for, to the Home Ministry by the concerned local authority.
The Ministry Home and Cultural Affairs will then investigate the matter before granting permission for registration.
The Department of Civil Registration and Census said they have registered the cases and are currently under investigation.
Officials added that the department announces the civil registration dates to public, before carrying out the registration in the gewogs.
