COIMBATORE: In a few taluks in Coimbatore district, people who changed their names and those facing name discrepancies in official records have alleged that they were unable to obtain the "one and the same person" document -- required for publishing name changes in the gazette -- resulting in severe delays in receiving retirement benefits.
Several of the affected persons alleged that the document was being provided in taluks barring a few, where the government officials cited a 2023 High Court order for the denial, and urged the revenue department to regularise the process.
The Madras High Court, in an order dated April 11, 2023, on a writ petition regarding Provident Fund (PF) settlement, said that a tahsildar has no power to issue a certificate stating that the two names mentioned in the plea referred to the same person.
According to sources, the issue related to obtaining the one and the same person document is acute in Valparai taluk, where many tea estate workers, who could not receive their retirement benefits, alleged that residents of other taluks in the district were able to obtain such documents from the respective tahsildars.
P Sainutheen (61), a former tea estate worker from Valparai who changed his name after a religious conversion in 1989, said his pension benefits of around Rs 8 lakh has been delayed due to name discrepancies. He said, "The names in my education certificates and other documents are different. When I applied to withdraw my pension benefits, the process was delayed due to the name discrepancy."
To resolve the issue, Sainutheen recently approached the Government Branch Press in Tiruppur to publish the name change in the gazette, however, the officer demanded a "one and the same person" document verifying the identity from the Valparai tahsildar. "But the tahsildar denied it, citing the High Court order," he added.
However, CPM Valparai taluk secretary P Paramasivam told TNIE that similar documents from tahsildars in Sulur, Perundurai (Erode), and Tiruppur South, requesting to publish name changes in the gazette, were being processed by the officials at the government press. "But, in Valparai, officials cite the 2023 High Court order, which held that the tahsildar has no power to issue the certificate. Many estate workers are affected. The government should clarify the procedure and ensure uniform issuance of the document across all taluks," he added.
Meanwhile, officials at the Government Branch Press, Tiruppur, said a tahsildar, who could verify such applications through village administrative officers and revenue inspectors, is the sole authority to issue the "one and the same person" document.
Coimbatore Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar said, "Will look into the issue on the existing rule provision and issue necessary instructions accordingly." Despite TNIE's repeated attempts, the tahsildar of Valparai taluk did not respond to calls.