Aadhaar Cards For Adults To Be Issued Only By District Collectors In Assam As Govt Tightens Crackdown on Bangladeshis, Illegal Immigrants

In a decisive move aimed at curbing illegal immigration, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that 20 more Bangladeshi nationals were pushed back the previous night as part of the state's intensified crackdown on unauthorized entry into Indian territory. 

The operation, part of an ongoing drive to detect and deport illegal infiltrators, reflects the government’s growing concern over demographic changes and resource strain caused by cross-border migration.

Chief Minister Sarma emphasized that this action is only one step in a broader strategy. In a statement that signaled tougher days ahead for undocumented migrants, he announced a major overhaul in Aadhaar issuance norms.

According to the new plan, Aadhaar cards for adult citizens in Assam will soon be issued exclusively through the office of the District Commissioner (DC), rather than via common service centers or third-party vendors as is the norm in many parts of the country.

“This will ensure that no illegal immigrant can get an Aadhaar made and we can track and push them back easily,” Sarma stated, adding that the move is designed to plug the gaps in the system that have, in the past, allowed foreign nationals to access Indian identity documents. 

By routing the issuance of Aadhaar through DCs, the government hopes to implement stricter verification procedures and enhance the scrutiny of documentation before granting the all-important biometric identity.

Aadhaar, issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), is a 12-digit identity number that serves as proof of both identity and residence in India.

While not proof of citizenship, it is often used to access a wide range of government services and benefits. Critics have long argued that unauthorized migrants have exploited lax verification processes to obtain Aadhaar, thereby legitimizing their stay and gaining access to public welfare schemes.

NRC Implementation Still Casts a Long Shadow Over Assam

The decision to tighten Aadhaar issuance norms comes against the backdrop of Assam’s ongoing efforts to address concerns around illegal immigration, a process significantly influenced by the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). 

Conducted under Supreme Court supervision and concluded in 2019, the NRC aimed to identify undocumented immigrants residing in the state. The final list, which excluded nearly 1.9 million individuals, has yet to be formally notified but continues to exert considerable influence on state policy.

While the NRC was seen by many as a vital step toward preserving Assam’s demographic balance and protecting the rights of indigenous communities, it also drew criticism for procedural lapses and humanitarian implications. 

The latest Aadhaar-related measures are being viewed as a continuation of that broader effort to safeguard the integrity of state records and ensure that benefits of governance reach only verified Indian citizens.

By centralizing Aadhaar issuance through District Commissioners, the Assam government seeks to fortify identity verification processes, closing loopholes that previously enabled undocumented individuals to acquire official identification. This approach aligns with the state’s larger objective of implementing stricter checks without replicating the exhaustive and controversial NRC exercise in its entirety.

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