CHENNAI: The Madras HC has ruled that the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card/ booklet is a valid identity document that could be used for obtaining legal heir certificate in India.
Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, in a recent order, said as per the Union government’s notification, state governments should ensure the OCI registration booklets of Overseas Indians are treated as valid identification for any services.
The ruling was given on the petition filed by Manel Amrithkala, an OCI, seeking a direction to the Egmore tahsildar to process her application for legal heir certificate by accepting the OCI card/booklet as identification document as her husband, Dr S Subramaniam, died on March 5.
The petitioner said she has been living abroad and do not possess an Aadhar card or any other locally issued ID. The online portal for legal heir certificate is not accepting their application.
The judge directed the tahsildar to process her application in accordance with the law and pass appropriate orders within four weeks by treating the OCI card/ booklet as an identity document.