The Assam government is implementing stricter Aadhaar card issuance rules to prevent illegal immigrants from acquiring these vital documents. A key change is that Deputy Commissioners (DCs) will now be the sole authority for issuing Aadhaar cards to adults (those above 18 years). This measure aims to make it more difficult for illegal immigrants, particularly from Bangladesh, to obtain Aadhaar cards, which serve as proof of identity and residence.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the government has been working on plugging vulnerabilities in the Aadhaar system since April. The new rules are based on the presumption that any adult enrolling for Aadhaar could potentially be an illegal immigrant seeking legal identity. Sarma emphasized that Assam has already achieved 100% Aadhaar coverage, so any new adult applicants will face thorough scrutiny. He added that these stricter rules will aid in detecting and deporting illegal immigrants. The Chief Minister also mentioned that 20 more illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were recently pushed back as part of ongoing efforts.

In September 2024, Sarma highlighted that four Assam districts had more Aadhaar cardholders than their projected population. These districts, namely Barpeta, Dhubri, Morigaon, and Nagaon, have a significant population of Bengali-speaking Muslims. Specifically, Barpeta had 103.74% Aadhaar coverage, Dhubri 103.48%, Morigaon 101.74%, and Nagaon 100.68%. The Chief Minister suggested that these figures indicate that some immigrants had managed to obtain Aadhaar cards.

The Assam government had previously stopped issuing Aadhaar cards to individuals who did not apply for inclusion in the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The decision to channel Aadhaar issuance through DCs involves more rigorous authentication processes and document verification standards. Sarma clarified that the new measures would not affect legitimate residents and that genuine applicants will still receive Aadhaar cards. He cited communities in tea garden areas as an example.

Furthermore, the government is also planning to make birth and death registrations stricter. Birth certificates will soon become mandatory for Aadhaar enrolment, and new checks will be introduced to prevent fraudulent backdated registrations. Suspect cases will be routed to the DC for verification. These steps are part of a broader legal strategy to strengthen Assam's efforts to identify and deport undocumented immigrants. Mizoram is also taking similar steps by planning to retain the identity cards of Myanmar nationals to regulate movement across the border.