‘Who Are These People Taking Additional Cards?’ Himanta Tightens Aadhaar Rules For Adults In Assam

Last Updated:June 13, 2026, 5:43 PM IST

In exceptional cases, the district commissioner will be required to send a proposal to the state government seeking permission for issuing the Aadhaar card

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that Aadhar cards will not be issued to those below the age of 18 | File image credit: X/@himantabiswa

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday announced the Cabinet would not issue Aadhaar cards to those above the age of 18 to ensure illegal immigrants do not acquire the document.

In exceptional cases, the district commissioner will be required to send a proposal to the state government seeking permission for issuing the Aadhaar card, he said at a press conference after chairing a cabinet meeting, adding the government would then decide whether the candidate is eligible for availing the document.

CM Sarma said Aadhaar card issuance had reached a “saturation point” in the state. “In some districts, it has crossed the 100 per cent mark, and we must ascertain who these people are who are taking the additional Aadhaar cards.”

Aadhaar card will continued to be issued to those from the tea garden community and the Scheduled Tribes (ST), he said.

The Chief Minister said the order would take force on April 1, 2027. “People from these communities above the age of 18 will also stop receiving it from that date”.

Last year, CM Sarma had said the state government was contemplating stricter rules for the issuance of Aadhar cards as part of measures to curb illegal immigration from Bangladesh.

Illegal Immigration In Assam

During the recently-concluded Assam Assembly Election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) actively raised the issue of illegal immigration in the state, framing it as a threat to national security, integrity, and cultural identity.

The BJP — which retained power in Assam with a decisive mandate with 82 out of the 126 seats — accused the previous governments of ignoring the issue for “vote-bank politics.”

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