Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has announced that all new applicants for Aadhaar cards will be required to provide their National Register of Citizens (NRC) Application Receipt Number (ARN) starting October 1. A detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) will be developed to facilitate this implementation.
The new ARN requirement aims to curb the influx of illegal foreigners into Assam, with the Chief Minister stating that the government will be very strict in issuing Aadhaar cards. He highlighted concerns over the number of Aadhaar applications exceeding the state’s population, indicating the presence of “doubtful citizens.”
Sarma clarified that this requirement will not apply to the 9.55 lakh people whose biometrics were locked during the NRC process; they will receive Aadhaar cards without needing to submit the ARN. Additionally, residents of tea garden areas will be exempt due to practical challenges such as the unavailability of biometric machines.
The Chief Minister noted that in four districts—Barpeta, Dhubri, Morigaon, and Nagaon—the number of Aadhaar applications has surpassed the projected population, raising alarms about potential “doubtful citizens.” For instance, Barpeta has 103.74% of its population applying for Aadhaar.
Under the new regulations, Aadhaar cards will only be issued to new applicants after obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the district commissioner. This NOC will be granted following a comprehensive review of the applicant’s eligibility. Sarma explained that possessing the NRC ARN indicates the person was in the state before 2014.
The state government plans to intensify efforts to identify illegal foreigners, citing an increase in detections in recent months. The Chief Minister mentioned that several people from Bangladesh were apprehended and returned to their country.
To combat illegal immigration, Sarma announced plans to strengthen border surveillance and patrolling. The CM stressed the importance of promptly documenting cases of illegal immigrants and forwarding them to Foreigners Tribunals for adjudication. Regular verification of records will be conducted to ensure these people do not evade detection.
From January 2024 to the present, Assam has detected 54 illegal immigrants, with the majority found in Karimganj. Of these, 45 were repatriated, while nine were arrested in Karimganj.
