Kerala Assembly clears Nativity Card Bill despite opposition walkout

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Tuesday passed the Nativity Card Bill in the Legislative Assembly, despite a walkout by the Congress-led Opposition, which protested the proceedings.

The legislation aims to provide Keralites with an official state-issued nativity card, allowing residents to formally and proudly assert their Malayali identity.

Finance Minister K N Balagopal described the passage of the Bill as a “historic moment,” emphasising its role in protecting minority communities. He also criticised the Opposition for boycotting the session, accusing them of seeking controversy rather than participating in the legislative process.

Alongside the Nativity Card Bill, the Assembly cleared the Abkari (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Kerala Advocates’ Clerks Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Kerala Advocates’ Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Proposed amendments in the subject committee reports were also accepted. All Bills were passed without debate due to the Opposition’s absence.

The UDF’s boycott followed the ongoing controversy surrounding the Sabarimala gold loss case, during which the Nativity Card Bill was introduced.

The Nativity Card Bill provides legal backing to the state government’s December 2025 decision to issue a permanent, photo-embedded nativity card. The card aims to prevent difficulties for individuals in proving their Kerala origin or residence for official or administrative purposes.

Introducing the Bill, Revenue Minister K Rajan cited the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as a motivating factor, stating that the card would enable Keralites, regardless of their current residence, to assert their identity with dignity.

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Under the Bill, a “native of Kerala” includes those born in the state, individuals with at least one ancestor born in Kerala, or persons born outside Kerala while their parents were working elsewhere, provided they have not acquired foreign citizenship.

Last month, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated that the initiative ensures residents will not face difficulties in proving their identity or place of residence.

The move, however, drew criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which described the initiative as “dangerous separatist politics.”

ANI