Andhra Pradesh considers dropping mandatory requirement of father's name in official papers

Officials and child rights groups in Andhra Pradesh are discussing a proposal to make a father's name optional in all official government documents.

Consultation Meeting

The Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights held a meeting in Vijayawada along with groups like Children India Foundation and HELP. Commission Chairman Vetukuri A.V.S.S.N. Raju said the move helps children of sex workers, divorced couples and orphans, along with anyone else who does not wish to list a father's name. A.P. Mahila Commission Chairperson Rayapati Sailaja added that rigid rules should not force children to leave school or lose jobs.

Departmental Views

Officers from the education, medical, judicial, and social welfare departments discussed how to handle the legal rules carefully. Additional Director of Social Welfare K. Sunil Raj Kumar and Joint Director of Women Development and Child Welfare Vasanta Bala noted that their departments already do not force people to write a father's name on forms. Commission members P. Naga Manasa, Padmalatha, Challa Madhusudhan Rao, and V. Gandhi Babu will submit these final suggestions to the state government.

Context

Official paperwork like birth certificates, school admissions, and welfare programs in India traditionally demand a father's name as a primary form of identification. Removing this strict rule aims to fix administrative hurdles that affect single-parent households and marginalized groups.