The Kozhikode City Corporation has sought a police inquiry regarding the registration of the birth of a baby girl at a rented home after the rejection of the application by the civic body citing lack of evidence of birth triggered a row. The City Corporation earlier rejected an application filed by Ashna Jasmine, who hails from Wayanad and her husband Sharafath Ali to register the birth of their baby. The baby was delivered on November 2, 2024, and the application was filed on the same day.

A preliminary inquiry by the public health inspector (PHI) showed that no birth had happened in the house on the given date. A probe was again initiated, and the report by the PHI based on a field-level inquiry said that no birth was recorded in the house. The report further noted that house-visit records by ASHA workers in the area in August 2024 did not mention a pregnant woman in the house. The report also said that the members of the house didn't inform the health workers about the pregnant woman. Neighbours also said they were ignorant about a delivery at home. Based on these findings, the application was rejected.

Ashna and Sharafath then filed a petition with the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) against the health inspector of the Kozhikode city corporation and the ASHA workers in the area. According to the birth and death registration wing of the city corporation, a letter has been sent to the Kozhikode city Medical College police station seeking an inquiry into the home birth. "We couldn't garner any evidence of home birth, and now we have forwarded the matter to the police. We have furnished a statement to the HRC," said an official with the civic body's registration wing.

Panchayats, municipalities and corporations usually seek police inquiry in case of delayed registrations. In case of applications for registrations of births which had happened years or decades ago, the authorities will initiate an inquiry. If no evidence is found, a non-availability certificate is issued (NAC). The applicants can file an appeal, and local bodies refer the matter to police verification. The local bodies generally conclude the probe and do registration of recent births without resorting to police investigation.

Thresiamma Antony, Chief Registrar, Births and Deaths, Kerala said that there is no bar on registration of births at home in case of concrete evidence. "We haven't sought a report from Kozhikode corporation on the matter till now. It is understood that the probe didn't yield evidence to confirm birth at home," said Antony.

Thiruvananthapuram city corporation officials recently came across an application to register a home birth and it was rejected based on a probe. According to the application, a Pathanamthitta-based Islamic scholar arrived in the city with his wife, and the delivery happened at home where his mother and sister lived. The mother and sister gave statements that they came to know about delivery only when they saw the baby, and they had no prior information regarding delivery at home. The officials also reported contradictions in the time of delivery following which the application was rejected. A health wing official who was aware of the developments said that the corporation even recommended a pelvic examination, but the applicant was not willing to cooperate. In another case, the Thiruvananthapuram corporation registered the birth happened at home after the parents promptly informed the Junior public health nurse at the primary health centre, and sufficient evidence was gathered to confirm the birth at home.