Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the temporary suspension of Aadhaar card issuance for all residents above 18 years, with significant exemptions for Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC) and tea garden workers. The intention is to tighten security along Assam’s borders and prevent illegal infiltration from Bangladesh.
Linking Aadhaar Policy to Border Security
After the cabinet meeting, Sarma explained the reason for the decision: “We have continuously pushed back Bangladeshi nationals along the border. It is extremely must ensure that no illegal entrant can obtain an Aadhaar card and claim citizenship of India.” Thus, due to the temporary halt of Aadhaar registration for upcoming most adults, the state hopes to safeguard demographic records from potential misuse while securing its frontiers.
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The Chief Minister made it clear that communities other than ST, SC and tea-garden workers that have not registered for Aadhaar will have the last opportunity to apply in September. The application window will be strictly limited to one month. “We will allow applications only within September. Beyond this period, there will be tight monitoring,” Sarma stated. This announcement sets the timeline for the residents while reiterating that normal enrollment will not reopen for everybody in the immediate future.
Stringent Scrutiny Post-Deadline
Beyond one month, the issuance of Aadhaar will be subject to heightened scrutiny. The District Commissioner (DC) will approve applications only in exceptional cases. Every application will be scrutinized by the DC with respect to its documentation: for instance, the State Bureau report or Foreigners Tribunal record.
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This will ensure that only genuine residents get the government issued identity in keeping with the larger goal of avoiding infiltration for citizenship claims in Assam.
Balancing Inclusivity and Security
While applying the temporary halt to most adults, the continued exemptions for ST, SC and tea garden workers do reflect the state government’s desire to maintain a balance between security and inclusiveness. These communities will continue to avail themselves of necessary services and benefits associated with Aadhaar uninterruptedly.
By directly linking the Aadhaar enrolment policies with border security and citizenship verification processes, Assam pursues a cautiously firm approach to deal with perceived illegal immigration. The one-month application window in September will be a critical check to ensure adherence and more importantly, safeguard the demographic integrity of the state.
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