The Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government has announced that people above the age of 18 will no longer be issued Aadhaar cards in the state. The decision will officially come into effect in the first week of October after a government notification.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said they aim to stop illegal Bangladeshi migrants from getting Indian identity papers.

"Those who are 18-plus will no longer get Aadhaar cards in Assam. For SCs, STs, and tea garden tribes, Aadhaar cards will be issued only for one year. Those who have not yet applied must do so within September, as the window will remain open for just one month. After that, exceptions will be entertained only through the Deputy Commissioner's office, with final approval resting solely with the DC," Sarma stated.

Assam is ongoing drive to trace and deport undocumented migrants from Bangladesh. Officials claim that Aadhaar has often been misused by non-citizens to legalise their stay in India.

Aadhaar not proof of citizenship, says Supreme Court

The move also connects to a larger debate on whether Aadhaar can be treated as proof of citizenship. While hearing petitions related to the voter list revision in Bihar, the Supreme Court on August 12 upheld the Election Commission’s stand that Aadhaar cannot serve as citizenship proof.

“The EC is correct in saying Aadhaar cannot be accepted as conclusive proof of citizenship. It has to be verified,” Justice Surya Kant said, addressing senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who represented the petitioners. The bench stressed that verifying the citizenship of voters is a must before adding them to the electoral rolls.

The court also drew a clear line between identification and citizenship. Aadhaar, issued by UIDAI, is a unique biometric-based identity card for residents of India. It can confirm someone’s identity but does not prove they are a citizen.

  • Proof of Identity: Confirms that the person is who they claim to be, often verified through biometric data.

  • Proof of Citizenship: Shows that the person is a legal citizen of the country, using documents like birth certificates, passports, or other government-recognised papers.

As Justice Kant summed up, "If they don't have the power, everything ends. But if they have the power, there can't be a problem," while noting that the Election Commission may ask for documents that directly prove citizenship.

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