Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday announced that people above 18 years of age will not get first-time Aadhaar cards in the state.
CM Sarma said the decision had been taken as a precautionary measure to check illegal immigrants from getting Indian citizenship.
Only a one-month window would be given to people above 18 years of age to apply for an Aadhaar card if anyone has not got the same yet, he told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.
However, Tea Tribes, SC and ST people above 18 years of age will continue to receive Aadhaar cards for the next one year, he added.
“The decision to restrict Aadhaar card issuance is seen as part of the efforts to ensure the authenticity of citizens’ identities. This move highlights the government’s focus on addressing concerns about potential illegal immigration from Bangladesh in the last one year,” Sarma said.
In a decisive move aimed at curbing illegal immigration, the chief minister earlier said that Aadhaar cards for adult citizens would soon be issued exclusively through the offices of Deputy Commissioners (DCs), rather than via common service centers or third-party vendors as is the norm in many parts of the country.
“Very soon, we will implement a decision where #Aadhar cards to adult citizens will be issued only by DCs. This will ensure that no illegal immigrant can get an Aadhar made and we can track and push them back easily,” CM Sarma had said.
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He emphasized that the move aims to prevent illegal immigrants from fraudulently obtaining Aadhaar cards through strict scrutiny and verification.
