The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, announced on Saturday that all new applicants for Aadhaar cards in Assam will be required to submit their National Register of Citizens (NRC) Application Receipt Number (ARN). This new regulation is set to take effect from October 1, and a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) will be prepared to guide its implementation.
Govt will be very strict in issuing Aadhaar cards: CM
The requirement to provide the ARN is aimed at preventing the "influx of illegal foreigners" into Assam, and the state government will be "very strict" in issuing Aadhaar cards, the Chief Minister stated. "Applications for Aadhaar cards are more than the population... It indicates that there are doubtful citizens, and we have decided that new applicants will have to submit their NRC application receipt number (ARN)," he said during a press conference.
Exceptions and Regional Challenges
Sarma clarified that this requirement would not apply to the 9.55 lakh people whose biometrics were locked during the NRC process. These people will receive their Aadhaar cards without needing to submit the ARN. Additionally, the rule will not apply to residents of tea garden areas, where practical difficulties such as the lack of biometric machines have prevented many from obtaining their Aadhaar cards.
Number of applications for Aadhaar exceeds projected population in 4 dists
The Chief Minister also pointed out that in four districts—Barpeta, Dhubri, Morigaon, and Nagaon—the number of applications for Aadhaar cards has exceeded the projected population. Barpeta has 103.74% of its population applying, Dhubri 103%, and both Morigaon and Nagaon have 101%. This has raised concerns about the presence of "doubtful citizens."
Aadhaar Issuance and Verification Process
Under the new rules, Aadhaar cards will be issued to new applicants in Assam only after they obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the concerned district commissioner. The NOC will be granted after a thorough examination of all aspects related to the applicant's eligibility. "If the applicant has the NRC ARN, it becomes clear that he was in the state before 2014," Sarma explained.
Increase in the detection of illegal immigrants
The state government aims to "intensify the process of identification of illegal foreigners," as recent months have seen an increase in the detection of illegal immigrants. "Several Bangladeshis were apprehended in the last two months and handed over to the authorities of the neighboring country," the Chief Minister noted.
Enhanced Border Security Measures
To further curb illegal immigration, Sarma announced that border surveillance and patrolling will be strengthened in areas under the jurisdiction of border outposts. This will be done to detect and prevent illegal border crossings. Stronger coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF) and other central agencies will also be established to facilitate seamless information sharing and joint operations for enhanced border security.
Efforts to gather intelligence on cross-border networks and infiltration routes will be intensified, along with community awareness programs in border areas. The government plans to encourage residents in border areas to report suspicious movements or new settlers to aid in the early detection of potential illegal immigrants.
Action Against Illegal Immigrants
The Chief Minister emphasized that all cases of illegal immigrants must be promptly documented and forwarded to the Foreigners Tribunals for adjudication. Periodic verification of records will be conducted to prevent these individuals from evading detection. Sarma also mentioned that sustained efforts will be launched to locate and apprehend individuals who have been on the run after being declared foreigners by the Foreigners Tribunals. Once suspected individuals or families are identified, their biometrics will be collected. If these individuals possess Aadhaar, PAN, Voter IDs, or passports, their numbers will be recorded for future reference.
54 illegal immigrants detected
From January 2024 to the present, 54 illegal immigrants have been detected in Assam. Of these, 48 were found in Karimganj, four in Bongaigaon, and one each in Haflong GRP and Dhubri districts. Among them, 45 were handed over to their country of origin, while nine were arrested in Karimganj.