Section 12
of Births and Deaths Registration Act
Section 12
(1)
In the case of every child born alive, it shall be the duty of the father and mother of the child, and of the occupier of the house in which to his knowledge the child is born, and of each person present at the birth, and of the person having charge of the child, to report such birth within 14 days after the birth shall have taken place to the Deputy Registrar of the registration area within which the birth shall have taken place and to comply with the provisions of section 5.
(2)
When the name of a child is not settled and cannot be notified to the Deputy Registrar within 14 days of birth, the person whose duty it is to report such birth shall, so soon thereafter as the name is settled and not later than 2 months thereafter, attend again at the office at the Deputy Registrar of the registration area within which the birth took place or, if such Deputy
Registrar so directs, at the office of the Registrar and there record the name in the manner (so far as is practicable) prescribed by section 5 for the recording of information by a person reporting a birth.
(3)
When a person dies in a house, it shall be the duty of —
(a)
the occupier of the house in which to his knowledge the death took place;
(b)
the nearest relatives of the deceased in attendance during his last illness;
(c)
each person present at the deaths; and
Births and Deaths Registration
B.L.R.O. 4/2013 9
(d)
in default of the persons mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c), of each resident of the house and of the person causing the body of the deceased to be buried, to report such death within 12 hours (exclusive of the time necessary for the journey and of any intervening hours of darkness) after the same shall have taken place to the Deputy Registrar of the registration area within which the death took place and to comply with the provisions of section 5.
(4)
When a person dies in a place which is not a house, or a dead body is found elsewhere than in a house, it shall be the duty of —
(a)
every relative of such deceased person having knowledge of any of the particulars prescribed to be registered concerning the death;
(b)
every person present at the death;
(c)
any person taking charge of the body; and
(d)
the person causing the body to be buried, to report such death or finding within 12 hours (exclusive of the time necessary for the journey and of any intervening hours of darkness) after the death or the finding to the Deputy Registrar of the registration area within which the death took place or the body was found and to comply (so far as is practicable) with the provisions of section 5 applicable to a person reporting a death.
Offence not to report or furnish information within time prescribed.