KOCHI – Mr Akashkumar considers himself a Keralite. He speaks fluent English with a tinge of Malayalam, the predominant language of the south Indian state of Kerala, where he has lived for more than half his life and attended school.

But as the Kerala government becomes the first Indian state to introduce a nativity card for residents seeking access to state services, the 30-year-old is anxious. Born in the northern state of Bihar, he may not be eligible unless Kerala state officials take into account his schooling and college education records.

“We are all residents of Kerala. It feels unfair to have to prove nativity now,” the finance manager at a research organisation in Kochi told The Straits Times.

“My parents moved to Kerala 15 years ago. My sisters and I have grown up here. Our mother tongue is Hindi, but we are practically Keralites,” said Mr Akashkumar, who goes by one name.

Kerala’s decision comes amid rising anti-migrant sentiment in the ageing state, which is hugely reliant on migrant labour. Those who seek the card must be born in Kerala, have at least one parent born in the state, or be married to someone born in Kerala.

The move also has political ramifications as nationwide citizenship checks have left many in Kerala struggling to reinstate their right to vote ahead of the state elections in April. Critics have said this could set a dangerous precedent of discrimination against millions of interstate migrants across the country. 

The Kerala government made the move in December 2025, reportedly to address concerns about voter list deletions.

The Election Commission of India has been conducting an intensive revision of electoral rolls nationwide, during which millions of people were struck off due to inadequate documentation or unexplained objections. 

In Kerala, 2.4 million voters were removed from the electoral list in December – all deemed dead, absent or enrolled twice. Many who claim their names were wrongly deleted are now submitting additional documents to g...