Guwahati:    Assam will implement a more rigorous verification process for Aadhaar card applications starting from October 1, announced Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday. This change follows concerns over discrepancies in Aadhaar cardholder data, with figures indicating that in some districts, the number of Aadhaar cards exceeds the local population.

Sarma pointed to statistics showing that in districts such as Barpeta, Aadhaar cardholders represent 103.74% of the population, Dhubri 103.48%, Morigaon 101.76%, and Nagaon 100.86%. This anomaly has raised fears of unauthorized individuals, potentially foreign nationals, obtaining Aadhaar cards.

Under the new rules, starting October 1, applicants will be required to submit their National Register of Citizens (NRC) application number along with their Aadhaar application. This requirement will be enforced across all districts, excluding tea garden areas.

Additionally, Aadhaar card issuance will now be contingent upon receiving a No Objection Certificate (NoC) from the relevant District Commissioners (DCs). This measure aims to prevent foreign nationals from using Aadhaar cards to obtain other documents and falsely claim Assamese identity.

Sarma also stated that a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for the updated verification process will be issued within the next 10 days. He acknowledged the difficulties in the NRC process since its start in 2014 and underscored the need for stronger measures to combat illegal immigration.

However, the new verification rules will not impact the 9.35 lakh individuals who were previously excluded from receiving Aadhaar cards. These individuals are expected to receive their cards from designated Aadhaar centers in the coming days.