US Praises Indian Voter IDs, but Are Elections Under Modi Truly Clean?

US President Donald Trump has been touting India’s election system as a model for tougher voter-identification rules in the United States that he is trying to push through despite political opposition. In a Truth Social post, the US president noted that India’s Chief Election Commissioner had asked his administration how the US could hold elections without a valid photo ID, emphasizing the massive scale of participation and strict identification requirements.

This comparison was used to renew a push for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, a bill requiring documentary proof of US citizenship for voter registration and stricter ID rules. While India's massive elections are widely admired for their scale, the process has faced growing scrutiny regarding electoral rolls, campaign malpractices, and the independence of institutions under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America Act) is backed by Trump and requires documents like birth certificates or passports. Supporters argue it safeguards elections, though non-citizen voting is already illegal and claims of widespread voter fraud lack strong evidence. Critics warn the bill causes widespread voter disenfranchisement and impacts turnout, while Democrats argue it aims to influence upcoming midterm elections.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) oversees the world's largest elections, introducing voter photo IDs in 1993 to prevent impersonation. Postal ballots are restricted to specific groups like service sector workers and those on election duty who cannot visit their constituency.

Despite these measures, the Indian opposition has raised concerns over alleged election malpractices. In 2024 and 2025, opposition figures like Rahul Gandhi alleged fraud, accusing the ECI of adding fraudulent voters or pointing to identical photographs on multiple IDs, though the government rejected these claims.

Beyond fraud, analysts and rights groups argue that the focus on voter IDs overlooks the issue of voter eligibility. The controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR), backed by the Modi government and launched by the ECI, aims to remove ineligible voters but has drawn opposition. In states like Bihar and West Bengal, millions have lost their voting rights due to strict documentation deadlines and administrative removals, which critics argue disproportionately disenfranchise minority and marginalised communities to serve a majoritarian agenda.