“What is the relationship between you and your nominee” the bank staff enquired. “She is my mother”. “Any document to support” he further placed it making me a little anxious and putting me in a dilemma. It’s true what official papers I can put to prove she has given birth to me. To my knowledge apart from my birth certificate and passport no other document carries my mother’s name officially.

I just had only my PAN card and driving license with me which was of no use establishing the situation. I had to visit the bank another day for the proceedings.

To officiate any dealings only your dad’s name is required in most of the cases, be it your admission in school or college, or voters ID card or even your marriage certificate.

In recent times the law may change in India. The Supreme Court of India has come up with an argument on public interest, why not the mother given equal representation with the father when describing a person’s parenthood in basic official documents. The court issued directives to central and state government, for them to respond. This discrimination in fact hampers the Right to Equality as per the Fundamental Rights inscribed in our Constitution as per the petition filed.