With a motive to tighten its grip on identity verification and tackle illegal immigration, the Assam government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has decided to link the Aadhaar application process to the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The decision comes after the discovery of a startling discrepancy where it was noticed that the number of Aadhaar card holders in at least four districts in the state exceeds their projected populations.
Speaking on Saturday, CM Sarma described the figures as “worrying” and outlined the steps the State government plans to take in response.
“We will issue a notification making it mandatory for all adult applicants to provide their NRC application number while applying for Aadhaar from October 1,” he said.
“Whether or not an applicant’s name is in the NRC (complete draft published on August 31, 2019) is secondary, but the application number will imply he or she was in India before the NRC process began,” he added.
Aadhaar holders outnumber district populations
The decision to toughen the Aadhaar application process comes after the State government noticed an unusual trend: the number of Aadhaar card holders surpasses the projected population figures in four districts.
According to Sarma, 103.74% of Barpeta district's projected population have Aadhaar cards, while the figures for Dhubri, Nagaon, and Morigaon districts stand at 103.48%, 101.86%, and 101.76%, respectively.
These districts are primarily inhabited by Muslims of Bengali origin, who are often perceived to be Bangladeshi. Mr. Sarma did not rule out the possibility that the projected populations in these districts might be lower than the actual numbers.
Nonetheless, the data has prompted the Assam government to request more stringent measures from the Centre regarding Aadhaar issuance.
“The Centre, after going through our proposal, agreed to make it tougher to get an Aadhaar card in Assam. Apart from citing the NRC application number, an Aadhaar applicant will also have to get a no-objection certificate from the District Commissioner concerned,” Mr. Sarma added.
New rules to affect NRC-excluded persons
The tightened rules will not apply to everyone. Individuals whose biometrics were frozen during the NRC updating process—totalling 9.52 lakh people—as well as some tea plantation workers unable to apply due to accessibility issues, will be exempt from the new requirements.
In August, the Centre decided to unfreeze the biometrics of those listed in the NRC, facilitating their access to government services.
The Assam government is also gearing up to intensify its crackdown on illegal immigrants, particularly from Bangladesh.
Sarma noted that the process of detecting foreigners living illegally in Assam had stalled following the start of the NRC exercise in 2014.
However, recent developments in Bangladesh, particularly after the overthrow of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, have compelled a rethink on this matter.
“We have decided to strengthen and intensify the process of detecting illegal immigrants, who could become a problem not only for Assam but also for the country,” the Chief Minister stated.
In a bid to tighten surveillance and deter illegal entry, the State’s Home and Political Department issued an office memorandum directing the Assam Police Border Organisation to step up efforts.
The organisation is responsible for identifying non-citizens and referring them to the Foreigners’ Tribunals for a final judgement.
The memorandum, signed by Partha Pratim Mazumdar, Secretary to the department and State NRC Coordinator, called for stronger border surveillance, regular intelligence gathering, enumeration of suspected illegal immigrants, capturing their biometrics, and close coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF).
“Recent reports indicate an increase in the number of illegal immigrants being detected, necessitating intensified efforts across the State,” it read.
According to the memorandum, 54 illegal immigrants have been detected in Assam from January 2024 to date. Of these, 48 were detected in the Karimganj district, four in Bongaigaon, and one each in Dima Hasao and Dhubri districts. While 45 of these were repatriated, nine were arrested in Karimganj.
“Additionally, there have been reports of suspected non-Indian nationals and foreign-origin individuals in certain areas of the State, particularly in Upper (eastern) Assam and North Assam districts. The detection of such individuals is critical given the potential threat to national security,” the memorandum stated.
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