IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE C.T.RAVIKUMAR THURSDAY, THE 24TH MARCH 2011 / 3RD CHAITHRA 1933 WP(C).No. 9249 of 2011(E) -------------------- PETITIONER : --------------------- M.ABDUL JABBAR, RUKHIYA APARTMENTS, OLD RAILWAY STATION ROAD, COCHIN-682 018. BY ADVS. SRI.K.JAJU BABU SMT.M.U.VIJAYALAKSHMI SRI.M.V.JOSEPH (ALAPPUZHA) RESPONDENT(S): ------------------------ 1. THE REGISTRAR OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS, KANNUR MUNICIPALITY, KANNUR, PIN-670 001. 2. THE KANNUR MUNICIPALITY, KANNUR, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, PIN-670 001. R1 & R2 BY ADV. SRI. A.S. SAJUSH PAUL, SC, KANNUR MUNICIPALITY THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 24/03/2011, ALONG WITH WP(C) NO. 9250/2011, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: Mn C.T. RAVIKUMAR, J - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - W.P.(C)Nos.9249 & 9250 OF 2011 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dated this the 24th day of March, 2011 J U D G M E N T These writ petitions have been filed by similarly circumstanced petitioners who are aggrieved by the inaction on the part of the first respondent, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, Kannur Municipality, on the applications referred to as Ext.P3 in both these writ petitions. As per Ext.P3 in the former writ petition, the petitioner filed a request to the first respondent to correct his daughter's name in the birth certificate. As per Ext.P3 in the latter writ petition the petitioner himself approached the first respondent for correction of his name in the birth certificate. There cannot be any doubt with respect to the position that the first respondent is the competent authority under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 and therefore, when the said authority is called upon to exercise the power conferred on him and to consider an application submitted in tune with the relevant provisions he is duty bound to pass orders thereon. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted WPC.9249 & 9250/2011 : 2 : that in view of the decision of this Court in Varghese v. Director of Panchayat reported in 2008(2)KLT 278 there cannot be any impediment at all in correcting the names as requested as per Ext.P3 in these writ petitions. Ext.P4 would reveal that, relying on the said decision, under similar circumstances, this Court issued direction to the authority to pass appropriate order on the application submitted by the concerned petitioner. In view of the said position obtained in this case, these writ petitions are disposed of as hereunder:- There will be a direction to the first respondent to consider Ext.P3 in both these writ petitions expeditiously and pass orders thereon, taking into account the judgment of this Court in Varghese v. Director of Panchayat(2008(2)KLT 278). At any rate, this shall be done within a period of one month from the date of receipt of copy of this judgment. Sd/- (C.T. RAVIKUMAR, JUDGE) jma //true copy// P.A to Judge