What is the ‘$21 million for voter turnout in India’ give that Elon Musk’s Doge claims it has called terminated?–

The Elon Musk- led Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has actually been entrusted with lowering funds provided by earlier United States managements and closing down USAID programs. In the most recent action,
Doge has actually asserted that it has actually terminated a $21-million (Rs 182 crore) give to the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) for “voter turnout in India”.

The judgment Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is currently targeting the resistance Congress over what they call “external interference” in India’s selecting procedure.

What’s the row everything about? We have a look.

What did Doge claim regarding United States financing to India?

In a main article on X, Doge produced a listing of
terminated efforts moneyed by the American taxpayer. Among the nations discussed in the article, one was India.

“US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all which have been cancelled..,” the Doge article stated. “…$486M to the ‘Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening’, including $22M for “inclusive and participatory political process’ in Moldova and $21M for voter turnout in India”

United States taxpayer bucks were mosting likely to be invested in the adhering to things, all which have been terminated:
– $10M for “Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision”
– $9.7 M for UC Berkeley to create “a cohort of Cambodian youth with enterprise driven skills”
– $2.3 M for “strengthening…

— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 15, 2025

The $21 million grant for India was reportedly part of a broader initiative by the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) to enhance electoral processes across the world. However, the post did not mention an Indian agency or entity that was to receive the aid.

Grants have also been discontinued to Mozambique, Cambodia, Serbia, Nepal, Liberia, Mali, and “democracies in Southern Africa”, among others.

What is the CEPPS?

The CEPPS comprises nonprofit, nonpartisan and nongovernmental organisations funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which Trump wants to shut down. The CEPPS and USAID are among the thousands of US government-linked websites which have been taken down since early February after the Trump administration’s controversial move to shrink the government.

According to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, a partner of CEPPS, “CEPPS is a nonprofit organisation that pools the expertise of three premier international organisations – the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems – to support elections and political transitions across the globe. Our mission is to work together with local, regional and global partners to build resilient, inclusive and accountable democracies.”

IFES website says that the CEPPS was established in 1995 and was funded by the Global Elections and Political Transitions Programme of USAID. “Operating as a consortium, CEPPS provides USAID and other donors with the capacity to deliver complex democracy, rights and governance (DRG) programming at scale across the world,” it says.

On May 17, 2012, the IFES signed a memorandum of understanding with the Election Commission of India to make “available the knowledge and experience of ECI to election managers and practitioners around the world through the Commission’s India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management,” an ECI press note had stated, reported The Indian Express.

Why has Doge’s article outraged the BJP?

BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Rajeev Chandrasekhar have actually pounded the Congress over the Doge case.

“$21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!” stated BJP nationwide agent Malviya in a declaration.

“Once once more, it is
George Soros, a well-known partner of the Congress event and the Gandhis, whose darkness towers above our selecting procedure. In 2012, under the management of S.Y. Quraishi, the Election Commission authorized an MoU with The International Foundation for Electoral Systems– a company connected to George Soros’s Open Society Foundation, which is mostly moneyed by USAID,” he stated in a blog post on X.

“Ironically, those questioning the transparent and inclusive process of appointing India’s Election Commissioner—a first in our democracy, where previously the Prime Minister alone made the decision—had no hesitation in handing over the entire Election Commission of India to foreign operators. It is becoming increasingly evident that the Congress-led UPA systematically enabled the infiltration of India’s institutions by forces opposed to the nation’s interests—those who seek to weaken India at every opportunity,” Malviya included.

Once once more, it is George Soros, a well-known partner of the Congress event and the Gandhis, whose darkness towers above our selecting procedure.

In 2012, under the management of S.Y. Quraishi, the Election Commission authorized an MoU with The International Foundation for Electoral … pic.twitter.com/gdgAQoDbPh

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) February 16, 2025

Former Union Minister Chandrasekar pounded USAID over its financing appropriations in South Asia, consisting of $21 million toIndia Called it a “smoking gun of interference and undermining of democracies”, he created on X, “Shocking that on one hand there is discussion on democratic values and other hand there is brazen undermining of democratic nations.🤬🤬🤮”

“$486 Mln for “Consortium of Elections and Political strengthening” – wth does that indicate? and why?&& mldr; – $21M (200crs) for “voter turnout in India” – whose citizens for whom? that recd this cash?” asked the previous preacher. “It reinforces the belief that almost all these “protests” had outside funding/forces and puppetmasters behind it. I wish we check out the cash route in India completely and that did what with the “USAID” cash.”

Smoking weapon of Interference and weakening of Democracies – Shocking that on one hand there is conversation on autonomous worths and various other hand there is brazen weakening of autonomous countries.

$ 486 Mln for “Consortium of Elections and Political strengthening” – wth does … https://t.co/424zVw57w4

— Rajeev Chandrasekhar (@Rajeev RC_X) February 16, 2025

Sanjeev Sanyal, a participant of the Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, examined Doge’s case. The EAC is an independent body that suggests the federal government.

In a blog post on X on Sunday, Sanjeev Sanyal stated, “Would love to find out who received the US$21mn spent to improve “voter turnout in India” and the US$ 29mn to “strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh”; as well as the US$ 29mn invest to boost “fiscal federalism” inNepal USAID is the largest rip-off in human background.”

Would like to learn that obtained the US$ 21mn invested to boost “voter turnout in India” and the US$ 29mn to “strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh”; as well as the US$ 29mn invest to boost “fiscal federalism” inNepal USAID is the largest rip-off in human background. pic.twitter.com/ccVHcnzWSj

— Sanjeev Sanyal (@sanjeevsanyal) February 16, 2025

What has previous Election Commissioner Quraishi stated?

Qaraishi declined the record that United States financing was utilized to increase citizen turnover in India when he was heading the survey body.

“The report in a section of media about an MoU by the ECI in 2012, when I was CEC, for funding of certain million dollars by a US agency for raising voter turnout in India does not have an iota of fact,” the previous survey body principal stated in a declaration.

He made clear that there was, actually, an MOU with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) in 2012, when he was the CEC, like the ones the EC had with numerous various other firms and Election Management Bodies to help with training for wanting to nations at ECI’s training and source centre India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM).

“There was no financing or even promise of finance involved in MoU, forget X or Y amount,” he stated.

With inputs from firms