Sridhar Chakravarthy v. The Commissioner
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 05-02-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE P.T. ASHA AND WMP NO. 3790 OF 2026 Sridhar Chakravarthy S/o. E.R.Chakravarthy and Care of Mr.Sunder Chakravarthy 328,Rainbow Drive, Sarjapur Main Road Bengaluru-560 035.
Presently residing at Waldburg Strasse 119B 70563 Stuttgart, Germany.
..Petitioner(s) Vs
1. The Commissioner Greater Chennai Corporation Ripon Building, EVR Salai Chennai-600 003.
2. The Director / Chief Registrar of Births and Deaths Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 359,Anna Salai, Chennai-600 006.
3. The City Health Officer Greater Chennai Corporation Ripon Building, EVR Salai Chennai-600 003.
..Respondent(s) PRAYER : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records connected to the letter dated 27.10.2025 vide reference No.Pothu
Su.Thu,/Ma.Na.A(Pu.Vi)Na.Ka.No.1771/2025 issued by the 3rd respondent and letter dated 14.11.2025 vide reference R.No.12225997/SBHI-I/S1/2025 issued by the 2nd respondent and quash the same as arbitrary and illegal and consequently directing the 2nd and 3rd respondents to enter the name of the petitioner in the relevant column of the concerned Form in the Birth Register and in the petitioners Birth Certificate vide Registration No. COC/1970/HQ/091/000904/0 dated 06.7.1970 and pass orders. For Petitioner(s):
Mr.A.Ganapatheeswaran For Respondent(s):
Mr.A.Arun Babu Standing Counsel for R1 to R3
ORDER
The writ petition has been filed seeking the following relief : " To issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records connected to the letter dated 27.10.2025 vide reference No.Pothu Su.Thu,/Ma.Na.A(Pu.Vi)Na.Ka.No.1771/2025 issued by the 3rd respondent and letter dated 14.11.2025 vide reference R.No.12225997/SBHI-I/S1/2025 issued by the 2nd respondent and quash the same as arbitrary and illegal and consequently directing the 2nd and 3rd respondents to enter the name of the petitioner in the relevant column of the concerned Form in the Birth Register and in the petitioners Birth Certificate vide Registration No. COC/1970/HQ/091/000904/0 dated 06.7.1970."
2. The petitioner is a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), who was born in India on 31.05.1970. His birth was duly registered with the Greater Chennai Corporation bearing Registration No.COC/1970/HQ/091/000904/0 dated 06.07.1970. However, on account of his employment he had moved to Stuttgart, Germany, in the year 2017. Since, the petitioner have been in continuous employment and residence at Stuttgart, Germany for the past 8 years, he had applied for German Citizenship in the year 2025. The Citizenship Office at Stuttgart had asked the petitioner to produce his birth certificate for administrative requirements. The petitioner, thereafter, had downloaded his birth certificate from the web portal of Chennai Corporation. Upon receipt, he had realized that his birth certificate did not have his name.
The petitioner had not faced any problem till date as concerning non-inclusion of his name in the birth certificate, either at the time of pursuing his education or during his career. When this was appraised by the petitioner before the Citizenship authorities at Stuttgart, they confirmed once again that inclusion of name in the birth certificate is mandatory in processing the citizenship application of the petitioner.
3. Thereafter, the petitioner had made several attempts for inclusion of his name in the birth certificate through Chennai Corporation's online portal. In addition, he had also sent emails to the second respondent as well as Tamil Nadu's Non-Resident Cell on 18.06.2025 and 16.07.2025. But his efforts did not
evince fruitful results to him.
4. On 17.10.2025, the petitioner had sent a detailed representation to the respondents enclosing the relevant documents, a copy of which was also sent to the respondents through email on 19.10.2025. The third respondent vide his letter dated 27.10.2025, impugned herein, had informed the petitioner that as per Government Rules, the inclusion of names in the birth certificates cannot be made after a period of 15 years from the date of his/her birth. This was also confirmed by the second respondent through email vide its letter dated 14.11.2025, which is also impugned herein. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioner is before this Court to quash the impugned letters and seeks a consequential relief to include his name in the birth certificate.
5. Heard the learned counsel on either side and also perused the material records filed in the typed set of papers.
6. The learned Standing Counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents would submit that the Government is now in the process of contemplating the measures in extending the time for inclusion of names in the birth certificates upto 26.09.2026. The learned counsel would further submit that the matter is pending concurrence before the Commissioner, Greater Corporation of Chennai, as and when the orders are issued, the petitioner's request shall be considered.
7. Recording the statement made by the learned Standing Counsel, the writ petition is disposed of. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.
05-02-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order DS To:
1. The Commissioner Greater Chennai Corporation Ripon Building, EVR Salai Chennai-600 003.
2. The Director / Chief Registrar of Births and Deaths Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 359,Anna Salai, Chennai-600 006.
3. The City Health Officer Greater Chennai Corporation Ripon Building, EVR Salai Chennai-600 003.
P.T.ASHA J.
DS AND WMP NO. 3790 OF 2026 05-02-2026