Trump invokes India’s voter ID system in push for stricter US election rules

US President Donald Trump has cited India’s voter identification system while renewing his push for the proposed SAVE America Act, saying the country’s election process showed the feasibility of requiring voters to present photo identification.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump referred to a recent interaction involving India’s Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Trump said Kumar had questioned how elections could be conducted in the US without a valid photo ID.

Trump referred to India’s 2024 Lok Sabha election, saying 646 million people voted and less than 1% cast their ballots by mail. He said every voter had to provide a valid photo identity document.

Trump used the comparison to again call on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, formally known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act.

The proposed legislation seeks to require proof of US citizenship and identification for people registering to vote in federal elections. It also proposes restrictions on mail-in voting, with exceptions including illness, disability, military service and travel.

The White House has described the legislation as aimed at ensuring that only US citizens vote in federal elections. The bill would also require states to remove non-citizens from federal voter rolls, according to the White House.

The Indian and US systems, however, operate under different rules. In the US, voter identification requirements vary from state to state. The Indian Express reported that 36 US states currently require voters to show some form of identification at polling stations, while the remaining states and Washington, D.C., use other methods to verify voters' identities.

In India, photo identification for voters was introduced by the Election Commission in 1993 as part of efforts to prevent impersonation. The country also maintains electoral rolls that determine eligibility to vote in a particular constituency.

India does permit postal voting, but it is restricted to certain categories of voters. These include members of the armed forces and police, people on election duty and some other voters who cannot be present in their constituencies on polling day.

The SAVE America Act has been a contentious issue in US politics. Supporters argue that stronger identification and citizenship documentation would protect elections, while opponents have raised concerns that stricter requirements could make voting more difficult for some citizens.

The legislation was introduced in Congress on January 29. The version passed by the Republican-controlled House in February requires documentary proof of citizenship for people registering to vote in federal elections and imposes stricter identification requirements for voting. The bill still faces a hurdle in the Senate, where 60 votes are required for passage.

Trump's remarks have also drawn attention to India's own debate over electoral rolls and election administration. Opposition parties in India have raised allegations concerning electoral rolls and election practices, while the government has rejected such allegations.

The latest comparison therefore comes as the US debates whether to introduce nationwide federal standards on voter identification and citizenship verification, with Trump pointing to India's election system as an example for his proposed changes.