Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the State Government to clarify on the inconsistency in the issuance of death certificates during COVID-19. The Bench quoted provisions under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, and directed the Government not to mention COVID-19 unnecessarily in the death certificates, when the cause of death is not confirmed.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar observed that the stand taken by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) runs contrary to the circular issued by the State Government in regard to issuance of death certificates.

The Bench explained the situation with an example saying it would be unnecessary to enter ‘COVID-19’ as cause of death in the death certificate if a person dies in a road accident, but also tested positive for COVID-19. The Bench observed that unless required to mention the cause of death, it is not mandatory to mention that the deceased suffered from COVID-19.