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In a significant move aimed at preventing illegal immigrants from obtaining Aadhaar cards, the Assam Cabinet has decided to stop issuing Aadhaar cards through the regular enrolment process to individuals above 18 years of age.

Announcing the decision, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state government wants to ensure that no illegal immigrant takes advantage of the Aadhaar enrolment system.

Under the new policy, Aadhaar cards will continue to be issued to children below 18 years of age. However, any person above 18 years seeking an Aadhaar card will have to undergo a special verification process. In such cases, the concerned Deputy Commissioner will be required to submit a proposal to the government, which will take the final decision on issuance.

The Chief Minister clarified that the move is intended to stop loopholes and leakages in the Aadhaar enrolment process while ensuring that genuine Indian citizens are not deprived of the document.

The Cabinet has also provided relaxation for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Tea Garden community members, who will continue to be eligible for Aadhaar enrolment until March 2027.

According to the state government, the decision is part of a broader effort to strengthen identity verification mechanisms and curb the fraudulent acquisition of Aadhaar cards by illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Officials said the objective is to make the enrolment process more robust and ensure that Aadhaar is issued only after proper scrutiny.

The Chief Minister stated that while Aadhaar enrolment for adults will not be completely stopped, no card will be issued automatically through the existing system, and every application above the age of 18 will be subject to enhanced verification before approval.