Assam Restricts Aadhaar Enrolment for Adults to Prevent Illegal Immigration

Guwahati: The Assam Cabinet has announced new restrictions on Aadhaar enrolment to prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining residency documents. Under the updated policy, individuals over the age of 18 will no longer receive Aadhaar cards through the standard automated enrolment process. Children under 18 remain eligible for regular issuance.

Adults seeking a card must now undergo a rigorous verification process. Applicants are required to submit a proposal to their respective Deputy Commissioner, who will then forward the request to the state government for a final decision. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized that these measures are designed to address loopholes in the system without harming genuine Indian citizens. He stated, "The state government wants to ensure that no illegal immigrant takes advantage of the Aadhaar enrolment system."

Specific exemptions exist for vulnerable groups, including members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and the Tea Garden community. These individuals will remain eligible for standard enrolment until March 2027. The state government says this policy change aims to strengthen identity verification and curb fraudulent acquisitions, particularly by illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.