Poonam Nath

Assam Halts Aadhaar Avail to adults above 18; Service opened for only ST, SC and tea tribes

Digital Desk: In order to stop illegal immigrants from obtaining Indian citizenship documents, Assam has implemented broad restrictions on first-time Aadhaar card applications for individuals over the age of 18. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma explained that this action is necessary.

According to the state cabinet's decision, eligible citizens over the age of 18 who have not yet received their Aadhaar cards can only apply during a one-month window in September.

Following this time frame, district commissioners will be the only people with the power to issue cards in extraordinary circumstances; these will need careful verification, including reports from the Foreigners Tribunal and Special Branch.

Significant exceptions are made for marginalized communities by the policy. For an additional year, Aadhaar cards will be freely issued to tea garden workers, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes who are older than 18.

Our goal is to prevent any unauthorized foreigner from entering Assam and obtaining an Aadhaar card while posing as an Indian citizen. "We have closed that way completely," Sarma told reporters after the cabinet meeting on Thursday.

The government is attempting to strengthen protections against unauthorized documentation with the new measure.

Any Aadhaar issuance after the September deadline will be largely the responsibility of district commissioners under the new system. According to the chief minister, "the DC will have to check SB report, Foreigners Tribunal report before issuing Aadhaar card" in "rare and rarest cases."

Given Assam's long border with Bangladesh and past demographic shifts, the policy takes into account the state's unique concerns regarding illegal immigration. Previously, the state has taken a number of actions, such as the National Register of Citizens exercise, to identify and deal with unauthorized residents.