The Delhi Police will no longer accept Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, or ration cards as valid proof of Indian citizenship in cases involving suspected illegal immigrants, according to media reports citing police officials.
Authorities say several undocumented migrants, particularly from Bangladesh and the Rohingya community, have obtained Aadhaar, PAN, and ration cards in an attempt to falsely assert Indian citizenship. Some individuals also possess UNHCR refugee cards, but officials maintain that refugee status alone, without proper travel documentation, is not legally recognised in India.
The new citizenship policy, operational since late April, marks a significant tightening of identification norms in the national capital. Authorities have stepped up surveillance and verification across districts, tasking deputy commissioners of police with identifying “suspicious individuals” who may be residing illegally.
What can migrants do if standard documents are no longer valid?
For individuals whose Aadhaar, PAN, or ration cards are not being accepted, options are extremely limited. According to authorities, only voter identity cards or Indian passports will be treated as acceptable proof of citizenship during verification drives.
In case the documentation is denied or challenged, individuals may appeal to the court if they believe they have legitimate claims to Indian nationality.
UNHCR-recognised refugees may continue to seek protection under international law, but will not be shielded from deportation without Indian government recognition.
Significance of the new citizenship rule
The campaign comes amid growing concerns over security, particularly following a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 28 tourists last month. In response, the Ministry of Home Affairs revoked visas for most Pakistani nationals in India, barring those on medical, diplomatic, or long-term visas. Medical visas were also nullified after April 29.
According to Delhi Police, among the approximately 3,500 Pakistani nationals in the city, over 400 of the 520 Muslim Pakistanis have since returned home via the Atari border.
Police and intelligence agencies are now jointly responsible for identifying and deporting illegal migrants, with the crackdown expected to continue in the coming weeks.
