LAHORE: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has held that no alteration in the date of birth of a civil servant is permissible once it attains finality in the official service record.
The court also observed that a government employee cannot seek alteration of his date of birth in service records, particularly when he already had availed benefits on the basis of the previously declared date of birth.
The court said the declaration of age made at the time of entry of the civil servant into the service record shall be deemed to be conclusive unless he applies for correction of his age within two years.
The court passed this order in a petition filed by the Secretary Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department against an employee Muhammad Abdullah Khan.
The court allowed the appeal of Secretary Muhammad Aslam Sipra and set aside the impugned order of the tribunal directing the department for rectification of the respondent’s date of birth on the basis of a union council certificate.
The court said the respondent never applied for correction of his date of birth within the stipulated period of two years as prescribed under Punjab Financial Rules.
The court said the attempt of the respondent to change the date of birth after long service in the Ministry of Communications and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited, and after securing a fresh appointment in the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department on the basis of the date of birth recorded in the previous service record and matriculation certificate is inherently suspect, such claims are ordinarily motivated to gain undue extension in service. He took advantage of earlier recorded date of birth to obtain relaxation, and thereafter sought to reduce to that date to gain extended service benefits.
Such conduct of the respondent clearly demonstrates acquiescence in the recorded date of birth and constitutes a waiver of any right to challenge the same at belated stage, the court added. This constitutes a clear cause of abuse of process and misrepresentation through conduct.
The court observed that any structure built on such alteration is legally not sustainable and the reliance placed by the tribunal on the certificate subsequently obtained from union council is misplaced.
The courts have consistently declined belated attempts to alter the date of birth, particularly where such attempts are made after availing benefits or at a stage proximate to retirement, the court added.
The tribunal allowing appeal of the respondent committed a legal error by ignoring the respondent’s previous service recorder in Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited, as well as the legal consequences arising from his availing the benefit of age relaxation. Any structure built on such alteration, is legally not sustainable, the court concluded.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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