Assam govt tightens Aadhaar rules for adults to curb illegal immigration

Guwahati: In a major policy decision aimed at strengthening identity verification and preventing illegal immigrants from obtaining Aadhaar cards, the Assam Cabinet on Saturday decided to discontinue the routine Aadhaar enrolment process for individuals above 18 years of age.

Announcing the Cabinet decision, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state government has introduced additional safeguards to ensure that the Aadhaar enrolment system is not misused by illegal immigrants seeking to establish identity documents fraudulently.

Under the revised framework, Aadhaar enrolment for children below the age of 18 will continue through the existing mechanism without any change.

However, adults applying for Aadhaar for the first time will be subjected to a stricter scrutiny process before approval.

The Chief Minister said that individuals above 18 years seeking Aadhaar enrolment will no longer receive the document through the normal procedure. Instead, their applications will undergo detailed verification, following which the concerned Deputy Commissioner will submit a recommendation to the state government. The final decision on issuing the Aadhaar card will rest with the government.

Sarma clarified that the move is not intended to deny genuine citizens access to Aadhaar but to plug loopholes that could potentially be exploited by illegal immigrants. He said the government wants to create a robust verification mechanism that balances national security concerns with the rights of legitimate residents.

The Cabinet has, however, approved a special relaxation for members of the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Tea Garden communities. Individuals belonging to these categories will continue to be eligible for Aadhaar enrolment under the existing process until March 2027.

According to state government officials, the decision forms part of Assam’s broader efforts to strengthen documentation systems and curb attempts by illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to acquire identity documents through fraudulent means.

The Chief Minister said Aadhaar enrolment for adults has not been suspended entirely. Rather, every application from a person above 18 years of age will now be examined on a case‑by‑case basis through an enhanced verification process before approval is granted.

Officials believe the new system will significantly improve scrutiny standards, reduce the scope for misuse, and ensure that Aadhaar cards are issued only after thorough verification of an applicant’s credentials and eligibility.