In a decisive ruling, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has reaffirmed that government employees cannot demand a change in their recorded date of birth as a matter of right. The case involved a government servant who sought to amend his birth year from 1953 to 1958, decades after joining public service.
The petitioner argued that his illiterate parents had mistakenly recorded the wrong date, and he had only recently discovered the discrepancy. However, the Court dismissed this claim, emphasizing that regulations governing public service do not permit such alterations after prolonged employment.
Citing established legal precedents, the Court underscored that the accuracy of birth records is equally critical for both employers and employees. It ruled that even if an original entry was incorrect, no relief could be granted if the change was sought to gain undue advantage—such as extending service tenure.
The case was further complicated by a previous civil court observation: if the petitioner’s claim were accepted, it would mean he had passed his Class 10 exams at just 12 years old, an assertion deemed highly improbable.
Regulations in place since 1956 allow birth date modifications only within the first five years of employment, provided there is clear evidence of a genuine error. Since the petitioner sought the change nearly two decades after entering service, his plea was dismissed.