New applicants for Aadhaar in Assam need to submit NRC application receipt number: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

All new applicants for Aadhaar cards in Assam need to submit their NRC application receipt number (ARN), Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday.

'Applications for Aadhaar cards are more than the population...It indicates that there are doubtful citizens and we have decided that new applicants will have to submit their NRC application receipt number (ARN)," the chief minister said at a press conference here.

This will "stop the influx of illegal foreigners" and the state government will be 'very strict" in issuing Aadhaar cards, he said.

"It will not be easy to get Aadhaar in Assam," Sarma said.

Submission of the NRC application receipt number will not be applicable for the 9.55 lakh people whose biometrics were locked during the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process, and they will get their cards, he added.

Sarma also said his government will "intensify the process of identification of illegal foreigners as several Bangladeshis were apprehended in the last two months and handed over to the authorities of the neighbouring country.