Guwahati: US President Donald Trump has cited India’s electoral system while pressing for stricter voter identification and registration requirements in the United States.
In a social media post, Trump referred to his recent interaction with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and highlighted India’s use of photo identification for voters. Trump said Kumar had questioned how elections could be held in the US without a mandatory photo ID requirement.
Trump used the comparison to renew his backing for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, a proposal pending before the US Congress.
The legislation seeks to introduce stricter requirements for federal voter registration by making applicants provide documentary evidence of US citizenship. It also proposes government-issued photo identification at polling stations and tighter conditions for absentee voting.
The White House has supported the measure, saying stronger verification would help ensure that federal elections are limited to eligible US citizens.
Trump’s administration has previously pointed to electoral practices in India and Brazil when arguing for tougher safeguards in American elections. India uses voter identification as part of its polling process, while its electoral system also incorporates biometric technology in voter registration and verification.
Trump also drew attention to the enormous scale of India’s elections, citing approximately 642 million voters who participated in the country’s latest general election. He contrasted India’s reliance on in-person voting and photo identification with the comparatively greater use of postal and absentee voting in the US.
The SAVE America Act was introduced in Congress on January 29. Apart from citizenship documentation and photo ID provisions, the bill includes proposed changes to absentee-ballot procedures.
Trump’s latest comments come amid an ongoing political dispute in the US over election security, voter eligibility and federal voting requirements. His administration is seeking tighter rules, using electoral safeguards in countries such as India as part of its argument for changing the American system.