Patiala, Nov. 13 -- After the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) flagged cases of multiple birth certificates carrying different dates of birth for the same individuals, the Punjab government has directed all district registrars-cum-civil surgeons to conduct an immediate inquiry. In an official communication to the Punjab government, UIDAI's regional office in Chandigarh informed that during Aadhaar data verification exercises, it came to light that in a number of cases, especially in Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, and Sangrur districts, individuals were found possessing more than one birth certificates. Terming the issue "serious and alarming," the UIDAI observed that the existence of multiple certificates for the same person could lead to administrative confusion and potential misuse for fraudulent purposes. "Such discrepancies undermine the credibility of the civil registration system and can have implications for age verification in Aadhaar, passports, educational certificates, and government recruitment," the UIDAI noted in its letter to the state authorities. Subsequently, the office of the chief registrar of births and deaths, under the Punjab directorate of health and family welfare, has directed all district registrars-cum-civil surgeons to carry out an immediate inquiry. The chief registrar, in a letter, a copy of which is with HT, has asked for a detailed scrutiny of all birth certificate records to identify cases where multiple valid or verifiable certificates have been issued to the same person. "Before issuing any new certificate, the concerned office must verify whether a birth certificate already exists for that individual," the letter emphasised. The letter further asks all district health officers to send a compliance report after verifying records and rectifying discrepancies. The state government has also asked district authorities to conduct awareness drives and sensitize staff. Experts warn that possession of more than one birth certificate can lead to misuse in several ways-ranging from creating multiple identities, altering age to gain eligibility for jobs or government schemes, to manipulating age records for property and inheritance purposes. "The birth certificate is a foundational identity document of anyone. Multiple or conflicting certificates thereof can compromise the integrity of the government databases," said a senior UIDAI official, pleading anonymity. He added that the state's cooperation is crucial to curb such irregularities....