Title: Delhi Police Tightens Citizenship Verification: Aadhaar, PAN, Ration Cards No Longer Valid for Suspected Foreign Nationals
Delhi Police Declare Aadhaar, PAN, Ration Cards Inadequate for Establishing Citizenship during Clampdown on Unauthorized Immigrants
Hey there! Let's talk about a change in Delhi Police's procedures for verifying citizenship. They've said they'll only accept voter ID cards or passports as proof of Indian citizenship from people suspected of being foreign nationals residing illegally in Delhi. Consequently, Aadhaar, PAN, and ration cards will no longer be considered valid in such cases, according to officers familiar with the matter.
This decision reportedly comes after various illegal foreign nationals, particularly Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, were found to have acquired and used Aadhaar, ration, and PAN cards during verification drives launched last October.
If you're curious about the reasons behind this move, let me fill you in. Firstly, voter IDs and passports are inherently tied to citizenship validation, whereas Aadhaar/PAN/ration cards primarily focus on residency or tax status without explicit nationality checks.
Secondly, as the Citizenship Act of 1955 defines citizenship through specific criteria (such as birth or descent), using voter IDs aligns the enforcement with this framework. The move is also aimed at preventing document-related fraud.
Lastly, the exclusion of ration cards intends to address concerns about their vulnerability to forgery and issuance to non-citizens in some states.
To accomplish this, all deputy commissioners of police in Delhi have been instructed to closely monitor the activities of "suspicious people" in their districts. The aim is to deport all illegal immigrants from the capital.
It's also worth mentioning that among nearly 3,500 Pakistan nationals residing in Delhi, about 520 are Muslims. Most had come to India on short-term visas. Their visas have been revoked following a recent directive by the Centre after the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
The Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) has shared a list of Pakistani nationals with the relevant authorities, and district officials are conducting verification and identification of data. If needed, intelligence agencies might be involved in deporting illegal immigrants.
Keep an eye on this situation for updates!
- Illegal Immigrants
- Delhi Police
- The Delhi Police has implemented stricter citizenship verification policies, accepting only voter ID cards and passports as proof of Indian citizenship for suspected foreign nationals in Delhi.
- Aadhaar, PAN, and ration cards are no longer valid for this purpose, according to the police, due to reported instances of illegal foreign nationals, such as Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, obtaining and using these cards during verification drives.
- This change in policy is based on the inherent link between voter IDs and passports and citizenship validation compared to Aadhaar, PAN, and ration cards, which primarily focus on residency or tax status without explicit nationality checks.
- The move aligns with the Citizenship Act of 1955, which defines citizenship through specific criteria, like birth or descent, and aims to prevent document-related fraud.
- Deputizing all deputy commissioners of police with the task of monitoring "suspicious people" in their districts, the goal is to identify and deport all illegal immigrants from the capital.
- In related news, over 520 Muslims among nearly 3,500 Pakistan nationals residing in Delhi are being subjected to scrutiny following a revocation of their visas after a recent directive by the Centre in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
- Intelligence agencies might be involved in deporting illegal immigrants in the course of District officials' verification and identification of data shared by the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO).
