Only Mother’s Name Enough In Child’s Birth Certificate: Kerala HC Smashes Patriarchy

In a very progressive step, the Kerala High Court recently announced that only having the mother’s name on the birth certificate is enough. The court further added that every individual has the right to mention only their mother’s name in all the important and significant documents.

As per The Hindu, Kerala High Court announced this judgement during a court case wherein a son filed a petition to remove his father’s name from the birth register and include his mother’s name in the certificate.

As per the sources, the mother conceived the petitioner when she was just a minor. She was impregnated by an “unidentified person” and, hence, the father’s name was recorded differently in various documents.

During the hearing, the court mentioned that a child born from an unwed woman or a rape survivor is as much a citizen of our country as any other person. He has fundamental rights of privacy, dignity and liberty.

Also Read: Father Doesn’t Own Daughter, Child Has Right To Use Mother’s Surname: Delhi HC Smashes Patriarchy

In the court ruling, the judge said: “We want a society with no such characters like ‘Karna,’ who curses his life because of the insult he faced for not knowing the whereabouts of his parents. We want real brave ‘Karnas’ who was the real hero and fighter in Mahabharata. Our Constitution and the constitutional courts will protect all of them and the new age Karnas can live like any other citizen with dignity and pride,”

Additionally, the Kerala High court also ordered the government authorities to create separate forms that doesn’t require father’s details. Many people came forward to celebrate this progressive ruling as it not only benefits single mothers but also bring a much-needed change in society’s perception about the rights of fathers and mothers.

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