• Around 1,000 death certificates are estimated to be pending, while nearly 300 cremations take place daily across 6 KMC crematoriums.
Nearly 300 cremations occur daily across 6 KMC-operated crematoriums
Families submit medical death certificates and Aadhaar but receive only a money receipt, which holds no legal validity
Cremation certificates are also not being issued
The disruption stems from an ongoing probe into birth and death certificate issuance processes and recent changes in signing authority
Officials warn the backlog could become unmanageable if the suspension continues
No official timeline for resumption of certificate issuance has been provided.
Families face hurdles in accessing insurance, pension, and property transfer benefits without valid documentation.
• Families are currently receiving only a money receipt after submitting the medical death certificate and the deceased's Aadhaar, which has no legal validity for insurance, pension, banking, inheritance, property transfer or other statutory claims.
• Cremation certificates are also not being issued, leaving families from outside Kolkata unable to apply for death certificates in their home civic bodies.
• The disruption is reportedly linked to an ongoing probe into birth and death certificate issuance and changes in the authority to sign death certificates, with pressure mounting to restore the earlier system.
• Officials have warned that the backlog could become difficult to manage if the suspension continues.
