June 27 — In a decisive move to tighten scrutiny on illegal immigration, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that the state government plans to restrict the issuance of Aadhaar cards to adults only through the office of the District Collector (DC).
Speaking to the media, Sarma said, “If any adult wants Aadhaar, we want to conduct a thorough inquiry first and allow only the DC to issue Aadhaar to them.” The chief minister asserted that the step is aimed at ensuring that no illegal immigrant can obtain an Aadhaar card through fraudulent means.
The Assam government has been increasingly vocal about concerns related to illegal immigration, particularly from across the international border with Bangladesh. According to Sarma, Aadhaar, which is a vital identity document used for accessing government benefits, can no longer be issued without strict verification to prevent misuse.
“This decision is part of our larger crackdown on illegal infiltrators,” Sarma added. “We are committed to safeguarding the identity, rights, and security of genuine Indian citizens in Assam.”
Currently, Aadhaar cards are issued by various authorized enrolment centers across the state. However, under the new proposal, the process will be centralised and brought under the direct supervision of district-level top officials. Sarma indicated that this policy change will soon be formalized through administrative orders.
Assam has long dealt with complex challenges related to undocumented immigrants, especially following the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which excluded nearly 19 lakh people from its final list in 2019. The Aadhaar restrictions, the government claims, will serve as an additional layer of scrutiny to prevent individuals excluded from the NRC from acquiring alternative identification through loopholes.
Political observers view the announcement as both a security measure and a politically significant move, especially in the context of the upcoming local body elections. While some civil society organizations have raised concerns over potential delays or hardships for genuine residents in accessing Aadhaar services, the government maintains that security and verification must take precedence.
The announcement is expected to draw reactions from various quarters, including opposition parties and human rights groups, many of whom have previously criticized the NRC process and similar identification drives.
With the proposed directive, Assam becomes the first state to consider such stringent control over Aadhaar issuance. The move reflects growing efforts by the state administration to address the longstanding issue of undocumented migration and its impact on local demographics and public resources.
As the state prepares to roll out the new Aadhaar verification guidelines, detailed modalities and timelines for implementation are awaited. Meanwhile, officials have been directed to begin preparing for the transition to the district-level verification model.
