DoB Mess: HC rejects girl’s blame on parents

Dismissing the plea, Justice S Vaidyanathan noted that it may be true that the petitioner was born on July 17, 1997, and her parents in order to gain admission into school could have given the DoB as May 17, 1997.

But if the original DoB (July 17, 1997) is accounted for, then the entire qualification obtained by the petitioner/candidate will have to go, as she could not have been admitted in Class 1 based on her original DoB, he said.

“In view of the above, this Court cannot decide the issue even based on sympathy. If such contentions are accepted, then it will give a premium for everyone to knock on the doors of the Court to alter the DoB. If for any reason the DoB is altered from 17.05.1997 to 17.07.1997, then the entire qualification obtained by the petitioner is not valid in the eye of law, i.e. she is deemed to be not qualified at all,” the Judge added.

The petitioner S Indhumathi had contended that the Corporation of Madurai had correctly mentioned her DoB. But in school records, it was mentioned as May instead of July. She said her representation to the authorities to alter her birth certificate had failed to yield results.

The Special Government Pleader appearing for the State on quoting the Tamil Nadu Secondary Education Certification Rules, which mandates filling up the secondary school leaving certificate at the commencement of the fourth form course or as soon as the certificate is provided, contended that the correction of the DoB cannot be entertained.