UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath with his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis (PTI photo)
NEW DELHI: Aadhaar cards will no longer be accepted as the only birth certificate or proof of date of birth in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.”In Uttar Pradesh, Aadhaar cards will no longer be accepted as a birth certificate or proof of date of birth. The Planning Department has issued instructions to all departments. No birth certificate is attached to the Aadhaar card; therefore, it cannot be considered a birth certificate. Amit Singh Bansal, Special Secretary of the Planning Department, issued the order to all departments. The Aadhaar card is no longer valid as a birth certificate,” the notification read.The Maharashtra government also issued a similar order that says Aadhaar card will not be considered as a document for making a delayed birth certificate and that all birth certificates made only through the Aadhaar card after the Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Act, 2023, will be cancelled, a notice by the State Revenue Department said.Instructions have been given to take action against the officers who have issued these certificates till now.The 16-point verification guideline by the Revenue Department said that the orders issued by the Deputy Tehsildar after the amendment made in the Birth and Death Registration Act, 1969, on August 11, 2023, should be withdrawn, and the withdrawn order should be verified at the level of the competent authority or the District Collector. The move comes even as the Supreme Court has allowed Aadhaar to be used in a different context, like as a proof of identity during inclusion in the Bihar electoral roll. Accepting a demand of the opposition, the court directed the Election Commission to accept Aadhaar along with the 11 other documents already permitted under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.Last week, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed all district magistrates to take swift and stringent action against illegal immigrants.Reiterating that law and order, national security, and social harmony remain his administration’s top priorities, he said no form of illegal activity would be tolerated.“The chief minister has directed that each district administration ensure the identification of illegal immigrants living in their area and initiate action as per the rules,” the statement read,, according to news agency PTI.“The chief minister has also directed that temporary detention centres be established in each district to house infiltrators,” it added.As per the statement, illegal immigrants holding foreign citizenship will be kept in these centres until the required verification process is completed.Adityanath said those held in the detention facilities will be deported to their countries of origin following established procedures.Uttar Pradesh shares an open border with Nepal, allowing unrestricted movement for citizens of both countries, while individuals of other nationalities are subject to checks.This comes at a time when a nationwide SIR is being carried out in 12 states and union territories, including Uttar Pradesh, with the final elector’s list to be published on February 7, 2026.