Delhi Lt Governor Orders 'Strict Regulation' On Issuing Aadhaar Cards

Amid growing concerns over illegal migrants obtaining Aadhaar cards in Delhi, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has directed the Chief Secretary to enforce strict regulations on issuing Aadhaar ID cards within two months, an official said. 

The Chief Secretary has been directed to provide a detailed list of all Aadhaar enrolment centres across Delhi by July 15, including those run by municipal bodies. The registrars - entities authorised by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to enrol individuals for Aadhaar numbers - were also directed to be switched to an in-house enrolment model by September this year. 

Additionally, Mr Saxena has ordered a monthly audit of Aadhaar enrolment centres supervised by the divisional commissioner to ensure there are no irregularities. 

According to the Lt Governor's office, there is no consistency across departments. While some have outsourced agencies or floated tenders for purchasing machines, others have continued operations without adopting the in-house model.

"It has been brought to the attention of the L-G that during the course of security review meetings in several instances, illegal immigrants have managed to secure Aadhaar cards on the basis of false documentation or misrepresentation," a letter from the LG Secretariat said. 

These Aadhaar cards, officials say, have been used to obtain passports, voter IDs, access welfare schemes, and enter the job market - raising security and employment concerns.

Such enrolments not only pose a risk to national security but also negatively affect local employment by allowing undocumented individuals to compete for jobs, the letter warns. 

The Lt Governor further directed that operators must follow UIDAI guidelines strictly, especially regarding documents required for different age groups.

The letter also stated that in 2022, the state governments were directed to shift registrars or enrollment agencies working under an outsourced model to an in-house model by March 2023. However, in Delhi, this system is yet to be implemented.  

The letter further added that Aadhaar enrolment is not a routine administrative task, but "an extremely sensitive exercise" with wider implications.