USAID for voter turnout in India- As DOGE, under Elon Musk’s leadership, continues to reduce funding, it states that a $21-million (Rs 182 crore) USAID for voter turnout in India has been revoked. This announcement has sparked a political uproar in New Delhi, with ruling BJP leaders criticizing the opposition Congress. Here’s why.
The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has been assigned the task of reducing funds allocated by previous US administrations and terminating USAID programs.
In its latest action, Doge announced the cancellation of a $21-million (Rs 182 crore) grant to the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) for “USAID for voter turnout in India.”
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is now accusing the opposition Congress of allowing what they describe as “external interference” in India’s electoral process.
USAID for voter turnout in India- What DOGE explains about USAID funding to India?
In an official post on X, Doge released a list of initiatives funded by American taxpayers that had been canceled, with India being one of the countries mentioned.
“US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all of which have been canceled,” the Doge post stated. “$486M to the ‘Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening,’ including $22M for an ‘inclusive and participatory political process’ in Moldova and $21M for voter turnout in India.”
The $21 million grant for India was reportedly part of a broader effort by the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) to improve electoral processes globally. However, the post did not specify any Indian agency or entity that was set to receive the funding.
Additionally, grants have been discontinued for Mozambique, Cambodia, Serbia, Nepal, Liberia, Mali, and “democracies in Southern Africa,” among others.
USAID for voter turnout in India– Know About CEPPS
The Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) is composed of nonprofit, nonpartisan, and nongovernmental organizations funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which Trump seeks to shut down.
Since early February, CEPPS and USAID have been among thousands of US government-linked websites taken down following the Trump administration’s controversial decision to reduce the size of the government.
According to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), a CEPPS partner, “CEPPS is a nonprofit organization that brings together the expertise of three leading international institutions—the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems—to support elections and political transitions worldwide.
Our mission is to collaborate with local, regional, and global partners to build resilient, inclusive, and accountable democracies. “The IFES website states that CEPPS was founded in 1995 and funded through USAID’s Global Elections and Political Transitions Program.
It further notes that “operating as a consortium, CEPPS equips USAID and other donors with the ability to implement large-scale democracy, rights, and governance (DRG) programs globally.”
On May 17, 2012, IFES signed a memorandum of understanding with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to share ECI’s expertise with election officials and practitioners worldwide through the Commission’s India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management, according to an ECI press release cited by The Indian Express.
USAID for voter turnout in India- BJP got furious on DOGE’s post
BJP on USAID- BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Rajeev Chandrasekhar have strongly criticized the Congress over Doge’s claim regarding external funding in India’s electoral process.
“$21 million for voter turnout? This is clearly external interference in India’s elections. Who benefits from this? Certainly not the ruling party!” stated BJP national spokesperson Amit Malviya.
He further alleged that George Soros, whom he described as a known associate of the Congress party and the Gandhis, was influencing India’s electoral system.
Malviya pointed out that in 2012, under then-Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, the Election Commission of India signed an MoU with The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), an organization linked to Soros’s Open Society Foundation, which is primarily funded by USAID.
Malviya also criticized those questioning the recent changes in the process of appointing India’s Election Commissioner, noting that while critics opposed reforms making the process more transparent and inclusive, they had previously allowed foreign entities to influence the Election Commission.
He accused the Congress-led UPA of systematically enabling foreign interference in India’s institutions, alleging that such forces aimed to weaken the country.
BJP on USAID- Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar also condemned USAID for its funding allocations in South Asia, including the $21 million for India, calling it a “smoking gun of interference and undermining of democracies.”
In a post on X, he expressed outrage, stating, “It is shocking that while there is talk of democratic values, there is also blatant interference in democratic nations.”
He further questioned the $486 million allocated to the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening, asking, “What does that even mean, and why? $21 million (Rs 200 crore) for ‘voter turnout in India’—whose voters and for whom? Who received this money?”
Chandrasekhar suggested that many protests in India had external funding and backing, calling for a thorough investigation into the money trail linked to USAID.
Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also raised concerns over Doge’s claims.
In a post on X, he questioned, “Would love to know who received the $21 million meant for improving ‘voter turnout in India,’ the $29 million for ‘strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh,’ and the $29 million for ‘fiscal federalism’ in Nepal. USAID is the biggest scam in human history.”
former Election Commissioner Quraishi’s Take on $21 million USAID for voter turnout in India
Quraishi dismissed claims that US funding was used to increase voter turnout in India during his tenure as Chief Election Commissioner.
“The report in a section of the media about an MoU signed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in 2012, during my tenure as CEC, for receiving millions of dollars from a US agency to boost voter turnout in India is entirely baseless,” he stated.
He clarified that while the ECI did sign an MoU with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) in 2012, it was similar to agreements the Commission had with various other agencies and Election Management Bodies.
The purpose was to facilitate training for interested countries at the ECI’s training and resource center, the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM).
“There was no financial transaction or even a commitment of funding involved in the MoU—let alone any specific amount,” he emphasized.
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