Guwahati: The Assam government has decided to stop issuing Aadhaar cards to individuals above the age of 18 for one year, except for Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), and tea garden workers.
The decision, announced after a state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is aimed at preventing illegal immigrants from Bangladesh from obtaining Aadhaar cards and claiming Indian citizenship.
“We have continuously pushed back Bangladeshi nationals along the border. We want to ensure that no one (illegal foreigner) can obtain an Aadhaar card from Assam by entering into the state and claiming to be an Indian citizen. We have completely closed that way,” Sarma said after the meeting.
The chief minister said there will be a one-month window in September for those who have not yet enrolled for Aadhaar to complete the process. After that, Aadhaar issuance for adults will be allowed only in exceptional and rare cases, and only with the approval of the district commissioner. Such approvals will require clearance based on reports from the State Bureau and the Foreigners Tribunal.
The government said the decision also takes into account Aadhaar saturation in the state, as most adults already possess the identification document. Assam has in the past expressed concerns that Aadhaar could be misused by undocumented immigrants to access government benefits.
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