Trump cites India’s Aadhaar-EPIC linking as model for US Voter ID system
New York: US President Donald Trump has referred to India’s Aadhaar-EPIC linking initiative as an example of strong election integrity measures while announcing new rules for voter identification in federal elections.
In an order issued on Tuesday, Trump mandated that voters in federal elections must provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport or other official documents. In the order, he drew a comparison between India’s voter identification process and that of the US, mentioning in the first paragraph that India has tied voter identification to a biometric database, whereas the US largely depends on self-attestation for citizenship.
“Despite pioneering self-government, the United States now fails to enforce basic and necessary election protections employed by modern, developed nations, as well as those still developing,” Trump stated.
The order marks a significant shift in US voting procedures, as the country does not have a centralised election system. Elections in the US are conducted under state and local laws, which vary widely. In contrast, India’s elections are overseen by a national Election Commission that enforces uniform rules and systems across the country.
India’s Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021 introduced the provision for linking Aadhaar with the Election Photo Identification Card (EPIC). The Election Commission of India is in the process of finalising the mechanism for its implementation, and many voters have already linked the two.
Trump’s order is expected to face legal challenges, as the conduct of elections in the US, including federal elections, is governed by state laws under the Constitution. California’s state law, which prohibits officials from asking voters for identification, directly conflicts with Trump’s order.
Democrats have criticised such identification requirements, arguing that they may disenfranchise poor and marginalised voters. Republicans, on the other hand, claim that lax voter ID laws have opened doors to election fraud.
Trump also highlighted voting practices in other countries, stating that Germany and Canada use paper ballots counted in public, reducing disputes over election results. He pointed out that nations like Denmark and Sweden limit mail-in voting to those unable to vote in person and reject late-arriving ballots.
The new order will also tighten rules for postal voting in the US. Trump criticised the current American system, which allows mass voting by mail, acceptance of ballots without postmarks, and those received after Election Day, contrasting it with Brazil’s model that requires voters to link their biometric ID with voter identification.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
