IMPHAL, July 2: Manipur has the country’s most stringent protocol for issuing Aadhaar cards to adults, in a decisive move to prevent illegal foreigners from accessing government identity systems.
The announcement was made during a high-level meeting held at the Raj Bhawan on Tuesday, chaired by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and attended by senior officials from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Chief Secretary, and representatives from the Home, Social Welfare, and Education departments.
According to a statement from the state government, each Aadhaar application for adults in Manipur must be mandatorily scrutinised and approved only at the State Headquarters level, specifically by the office of the Special Secretary (Home). The process is guided by stringent Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and UIDAI protocols.
A senior UIDAI official at the meeting remarked that the Aadhaar scrutiny system in Manipur is “perhaps the most stringent in the country,” highlighting the state’s proactive stance in safeguarding identity documentation amidst growing concerns over illegal immigration.
In addition to adult verification, the state follows a robust update system for minors. Parents are required to update their children’s Aadhaar biometric and demographic details twice: first between ages 5–7 (Mandatory Biometric Updation-1) and again after age 15 (MBU-2), both free of cost. Officials noted that these updates help maintain the integrity and security of the identity database.
The initiative comes as Manipur continues to grapple with the challenges posed by its 400-km porous border with Myanmar, where fencing work is underway but far from complete. The state has witnessed a rise in concerns over unauthorized migration, particularly after the outbreak of ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in May 2023.
Former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh welcomed the state’s intensified Aadhaar regulation measures, calling it a “critical move to safeguard the identity and integrity of the indigenous population.” In a statement, Singh emphasised the need to align Aadhaar verification with the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime that governs entry into the state.
“Manipur is governed by the ILP system. Aadhaar issuance must respect and reinforce its provisions to prevent unauthorised settlements and protect indigenous rights,” Singh said.
Citing past lapses, Singh referred to the case of the late Nehginpao Kipgen, reportedly born in Teijang, Myanmar, who settled in Manipur and obtained Indian documentation without scrutiny. He also referenced a recent court-ordered probe into the citizenship status of a Hyderabad University professor whose name first appeared on Manipur’s electoral rolls in 2005, raising questions about procedural gaps.
Singh warned that Manipur’s proximity to both Myanmar and China made rigorous identity checks a matter of national security. “This is not just an administrative issue—it directly impacts national interest,” he asserted, urging closer coordination between Aadhaar authorities, ILP enforcement, and local administration.
