Shut outsourced Aadhaar centres: L-G to Delhi govt

The move follows alarming inputs from central intelligence agencies indicating that illegal immigrants have been able to secure Aadhaar numbers

Raising concern over Aadhaar cards being apparently issued to unauthorised foreign nationals in the Capital, Delhi lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena on Friday directed chief secretary Dharmendra to take “urgent steps” to plug systemic loopholes and tighten regulatory oversight.

Delhi LG VK Saxena. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The move follows inputs from central intelligence agencies indicating that illegal immigrants have been able to secure Aadhaar numbers – often through misrepresentation or forged documents – allowing them access to citizenship-linked documents, and government welfare schemes, among others, said a note by the LG secretariat.

In it, Saxena instructed officials to shut down outsourced Aadhaar enrolment services and shift entirely to an in-house model “within two months”, in a bid to tighten accountability and reduce fraud.

“This has been brought to the attention of the LG that during the course of security review meetings, several instances have come to light where illegal immigrants managed to obtain Aadhaar cards on the basis of false documentation or misrepresentation. This has a cascading impact wherein such individuals are able to secure documents that establish nationality, i.e., passports and voter ID cards,” the note said.

Officials in the LG’s office further pointed out that with Aadhaar as the foundational identity document, illegally residing foreigners were also able to gain employment, open bank accounts, receive rations, and avail of housing and health schemes – placing additional pressure on local infrastructure and depriving rightful residents of benefits.

To be sure, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which oversees the Aadhaar system, has maintained that Aadhaar is not a proof of citizenship. Further, under current rules, foreign nationals residing legally in India for more than 182 days a year are eligible for Aadhaar – which serves as a proof of residence.

The problem, officials said, lies in enforcement and verification.

“The situation has become alarming, with recent reports pointing to organised syndicates facilitating such fraud. Apart from posing a threat to national security, it aggravates socio-economic tensions by depressing wages and increasing competition in the unorganised sector,” said a senior official in the LG secretariat.

According to the LG’s directive, the chief secretary must submit a comprehensive report on all Aadhaar enrolment centres in the city by July 15. The aim is to identify and shut down centres that may be complicit or negligent in vetting applicants’ credentials.

Registrars overseeing Aadhaar issuance in Delhi have also been instructed to transition out of the outsourced model and establish in-house Aadhaar services run by government personnel. “The outsourced model has clearly failed to ensure accountability. Vendors are not adequately trained or incentivised to vet applicants properly. Many are focused on numbers, not legitimacy,” said a Delhi government official aware of the developments.

The letter further directs that Aadhaar enrolment of foreign nationals be permitted only after rigorous verification of legal status and supporting documentation. Officials have been told to scrutinise every proof of residency and visa document submitted during enrolment.

Officials cited above said that this directive comes at a time when the presence of illegal immigrants—particularly from Bangladesh, Myanmar (especially Rohingya), and some African nations —has become a recurring security and civic concern in the Capital. In recent years, Delhi Police and central agencies have routinely detained foreign nationals they suspect are staying in India illegally, often discovering that many were in possession of Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards.

The problem, several officials said, is rooted in the breakdown of enforcement at the ground level. In March this year, the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) issued an advisory to all states and UTs, directing them to prevent Aadhaar cards from being issued to foreign nationals without valid long-term visas or residency permits.

Supreme Court advocate Amarendra Choudhary said that tightening the formalities to enrol for an Aadhaar has both pros and cons. “Certainly, it’ll restrict the illegally staying foreigners from getting a proof to open bank accounts and PAN cards. But at the same time, it will create difficulties for bona fide Indian citizens due to many layers of verification. If Aadhaar was originally meant to serve only as a proof of identity, not as proof of citizenship, why is the government putting extra layer of security during updates? Is it different from unique identification numbers issued to Indians working abroad,” he asked.