📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Abhiman Singh
Politics
Karnataka Blocks Out‑State PRC Holders from Applying for Permanent Resident Certificate
✍️ The Economic Times
🗓 21 Jul 2026, 04:33 PM
👁 1
The Karnataka government has announced that holders of Permanent Resident Certificates issued by other states will no longer be eligible to apply for a Karnataka PRC, a move aimed at tightening residency verification.
The Karnataka government has introduced a new rule that bars holders of Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs) issued by other Indian states from applying for a Karnataka PRC. The directive, announced by the state’s Home Department, is set to take effect from the beginning of the next fiscal year.
Under the new policy, individuals who possess a PRC from states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, or Gujarat will be deemed ineligible to seek a Karnataka PRC, regardless of how long they have lived in the state. The move is intended to streamline the verification process and curb the misuse of residency certificates.
Officials say the change will help the state’s authorities better track genuine residents and reduce fraud. The policy also aligns with recent central guidelines that encourage states to adopt stricter residency checks.
The announcement has drawn mixed reactions. Some residents fear that the rule could complicate their legal status, while others welcome the tighter controls as a step toward ensuring that only bona fide residents receive the certificate.
Under the new policy, individuals who possess a PRC from states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, or Gujarat will be deemed ineligible to seek a Karnataka PRC, regardless of how long they have lived in the state. The move is intended to streamline the verification process and curb the misuse of residency certificates.
Officials say the change will help the state’s authorities better track genuine residents and reduce fraud. The policy also aligns with recent central guidelines that encourage states to adopt stricter residency checks.
The announcement has drawn mixed reactions. Some residents fear that the rule could complicate their legal status, while others welcome the tighter controls as a step toward ensuring that only bona fide residents receive the certificate.