Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Saturday, September 7, 2024, that the state has more Aadhaar card holders than the projected population in at least four districts. The “worrying” data has prompted the government to link Aadhaar applications with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in an effort to tackle illegal immigration from Bangladesh.
“We will make it mandatory for all adult Aadhaar applicants to provide their NRC application number from October 1. This will indicate their presence in India before the NRC process began,” Sarma said.
The decision followed reports that districts like Barpeta, Dhubri, Nagaon, and Morigaon had more Aadhaar holders than their estimated populations, with rates exceeding 103%. These districts, with significant Muslim populations of Bengali origin, are often associated with migration concerns.
The central government has approved the tougher Aadhaar application process. In addition to providing the NRC number, applicants will need a no-objection certificate from their District Commissioner.
Sarma emphasized that the new rules will not apply to the 9.52 lakh individuals whose biometrics were frozen during the NRC update or to certain tea plantation workers facing accessibility issues. He added that Assam would intensify efforts to detect illegal immigrants, especially after recent political unrest in Bangladesh.
The Assam Police Border Organisation has been instructed to enhance border surveillance and take proactive steps to curb illegal immigration and repatriate non-citizens.