Why Assam has decided to restrict Aadhaar enrolment for people above 18 years

The Assam government has announced new restrictions on Aadhaar enrolment for adults, with the state Cabinet deciding that Aadhaar cards will no longer be issued through the regular process to individuals above 18 years of age.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decision after a Cabinet meeting in Guwahati on Saturday. The state government, however, has allowed Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Tea Garden community members to continue obtaining Aadhaar cards until March 2027.

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“The Assam cabinet has decided not to provide Aadhar cards to any person above 18 years… ST, SC, Tea Garden people will get an Aadhar card till March 2027,” Sarma said.

The move comes as the state government seeks to strengthen identity verification mechanisms and tighten scrutiny around Aadhaar enrolment for adults. Reports have indicated that Assam is looking at stricter checks to prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining identity documents through the enrolment process.

Reports from Guwahati have indicated that the state government is considering a system under which Aadhaar applications from adults would undergo additional scrutiny at the district level instead of following the regular enrolment route.

Guwahati satellite city gets Cabinet nod

Apart from the Aadhaar decision, the Cabinet approved a major urban expansion proposal for the state’s largest city.

Sarma said the government has cleared the development of a Guwahati Satellite City within the jurisdiction of the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA).

“The Assam cabinet has also approved a Guwahati Satellite City under the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) area,” he said.

The project is expected to support the city’s future growth and ease development pressures on existing urban infrastructure.

CM pitches ‘Geographic Equity’ model at NITI Aayog meet

The announcement came a day after Sarma attended an interaction between NITI Aayog and Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries of northeastern states in New Delhi.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister argued that India’s next phase of development should focus on ensuring that economic gains reach all regions of the country.

“India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047 must focus not only on expanding economic growth but also on ensuring that growth reaches every region of the country,” he said.

Sarma described this approach as “Geographic Equity” and said the country should move beyond accelerating growth to widening its geographical spread.

He also said the North East has witnessed major changes under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, citing improvements in connectivity, infrastructure, peace initiatives and the Act East Policy.

According to the Chief Minister, these developments have strengthened the region’s strategic importance and laid the foundation for greater economic integration with the rest of the country.

Referring to Assam’s economy, Sarma said investor confidence in the state has been rising, with increasing investments across sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy and technology.